Woman lights up social media for the relationship dilemma she shared
A young wife and mother posted a compelling conundrum on Reddit — and in about seven hours received more than 2,000 reactions and over 900 comments, later tucking in an edit to her original comments to share how her situation changed.
The challenge she posted about concerns family, a young child, sleep — and an important relationship.
Writing on the subreddit known as "AITA" ("Am I the a--hole"), the woman, who goes by the username "Puzzleheaded_Rip6227," explained that she's 27, her husband is 24 and they have a 10-month-old baby.
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(She also said it was her "first time posting" and that "English is not my first language.")
She described the "agreement" that she and her husband have regarding their current weekend schedules.
"Every Saturday he sleeps in and I take [full] care of the baby" in the mornings, she wrote.
The woman posting her story on Reddit said that her husband (not pictured) turned to her "and said that since he woke up early that day, he would be sleeping in the next day (Sunday)." (iStock)
Then, every Sunday, "he takes the baby and I sleep in."
That all changed recently.
"This Saturday," she wrote, "the baby woke up around 7 a.m."
The mother wrote that she woke up as well — and changed the baby and made a bottle for their infant.
"I said no, since that is not our agreement and that it's not my fault he didn't sleep in."
Then, "shortly after I'm feeding her, my husband shows up in the living room saying he can't sleep anymore."
Added the woman, "I understood. I mean, it has happened to me before and it's completely natural."
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However, that night, she said her husband turned to her "and said that since he woke up early that day, he would be sleeping in the next day (Sunday)."
The woman said she pushed back on that decision.
"I said no, since that is not our agreement and that it's not my fault he didn't sleep in."
"To give a little more context," the woman wrote that she's a stay-at-home mom and that her husband "works full time during the week." (iStock)
He told her that wasn't fair — "because he works and I don't."
The woman then shared more of the family's situation.
"To give a little more context, I'm a SAHM [stay-at-home mother] and he works full time during the week."
She wrote, "The thing is, I do most of the household chores (which I don't mind, btw) and his only responsibility is taking out the trash and unload[ing] the dishwasher. I do everything else + take care of the baby," she added.
She said her husband "usually just helps me with baths and watches/plays with her while I make dinner. We're fine with how things are — we're a happy couple and family, but I don't think it's OK for him to throw around that he works and I don't when it was a joint decision that I would stay home with the baby until she turns one."
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She continued, "He ended up waking early and letting me sleep in today, but when I woke up he let me know that he was really tired and that I wasn't nice to him and should've let him sleep in instead."
"I don't think it's OK for him to throw around that he works and I don't when it was a joint decision that I would stay home with the baby until she turns one."
So, the wife and mother asked others, "AITA for not letting my husband sleep in?"
After she posed that question, she added to her post.
"Extra info: We usually wake up at the same time during the week since I pack his bag for work, so I don't sleep more than [he does] during the week, and when my baby naps, I do chores that I can't do when she's awake."
"Has he ever had to take care of the kid alone or an extended period?" said one commenter about the dilemma a woman (not pictured) shared on Reddit. "I worked two jobs while my wife was on parental leave with my daughter. Then when she went back to work, I went off leave to care for her. Taking care of a baby and house full time was more exhausting than working two jobs." (iStock)
Among the more than 900 comments that people have shared about the post, the top "upvoted" comment was this: "NTA [not the a--hole], but I do have a suggestion. This isn't my idea but something my friend did when she was in the same situation. She documented her schedule for the entire week. Down to things like: 1:05 p.m. — son napped, did dishes, planned dinner."
The same commenter went on, "It really gave her husband better insight into what the SAHM life was like and how she wasn't snacking on chocolates watching ‘General Hospital’ all day."
Wrote another person, "Has he ever had to take care of the kid alone or an extended period? I worked two jobs while my wife was on parental leave with my daughter. Then when she went back to work, I went off leave to care for her."
Added this same person, "Taking care of a baby and house full time was more exhausting than working two jobs."
"If he wants more sleep, he can nap or go to bed early."
Another commenter was quite direct: "Sounds like you have two children with the amount you do for him. Have you reevaluated your set-up at all recently?"
And yet another person wrote this to the woman: "Sunday was your turn. If he wants more sleep, he can nap or go to bed early."
In an update to her story, the woman added some new remarks.
"My husband has apologized for the way he spoke and that he could have phrased it better. All is good and thank you all for the comments."
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She also wrote, "A lot of you are shocked I pack his lunch bag for work. I get it! I have been doing it since we got married because I packed both our bags at the same time. I do it out of habit and honestly as a nice gesture for him — he appreciates it and I know he does."
Fox News Digital reached out to a psychologist for insight into the situation.
Maureen Mackey is managing editor of lifestyle for Fox News Digital.
