For the past 10 years, I’ve been fully devoted to childcare. I used to dream about having a big career, but now I’m a proud mom of 4. Don’t get me wrong. I love my kids, but the exhaustion is REAL. Any mom will understand—it’s a full-time job. My husband, Henry, and I had an agreement: he provides, and I handle the house and kids. That was the deal, and I never complained.
But lately, Henry’s been making more and more comments about how I “DO NOTHING ALL DAY” and how “LAZY” I am. The final straw? I asked him to grab something from the top shelf, and he blew up, yelling about being the sole breadwinner and how tired he was while I just “relax” at home. I was stunned.
So, I calmly suggested we switch places for a few days—he’d stay home as the “housewife,” and I’d go to his office.
As soon as we agreed to switch places, I could see the confidence in Henry’s eyes—he really thought it would be a breeze. Day one? He waved me off as I left for his office, sure that he’d have the house spotless and kids under control by noon.
But by the time I got home that evening, the scene in the living room said it all. The kids were bouncing off the walls, toys scattered everywhere, and poor Henry was slumped on the couch, holding the baby with one hand and staring blankly at the mess surrounding him. His shirt was covered in spit-up, and there was a half-cooked dinner on the stove.
As I walked in, he just looked up at me, defeated. “How do you do this every day?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. I couldn’t help but laugh. It was only day one, and he was already waving the white flag!
By day three, he was a changed man. Not only did he admit how tough my job is, but he also made me breakfast, apologized for every time he’d called me lazy, and promised never to take my work for granted again.
Let’s just say, our agreement is a lot more balanced now.