In a Reddit post upvoted 5,700 times, a user writing under the handle Terrible_Fish_8942 wrote that his partner had told him she was eager to hire someone to “pick up around the house.”
However, he said he saw “no reason to hire one,” noting that both of their kids are in school.
In 2018, a Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data found that more than 11 million U.S. parents were not working outside the home.
While around 7 percent of dads were found to be stay-at-home parents, moms made up the majority, with 27 percent staying at home.
There are some notable benefits to stay-at-home parents, whether it be the savings made on childcare costs or the increased bonding time.
However, it can also create something of an imbalance in the family dynamic, with the stay-at-home parent expected to take the bulk of the domestic burden, while the working caregiver takes more of a backseat role around the house.
In more extreme instances, the parent earning for the family also takes greater control of their overall finances.
That appeared to be the case for the dad-of-two, who took to social media to oppose the idea of getting a housekeeper.
In the post, he was quick to note that both of their kids are in elementary school from 8 a.m. to 2.45 p.m. “I work full time and see no way she can be busy everyday when they’re at school 7 hours a day,” he wrote.
Despite the husband’s opposition to the idea of hired help, however, most Redditors sided with the wife, arguing that her partner was downplaying her role around the home.
In a response upvoted 19,000 times, Rohini_rambles wrote: “If she’s been the sole/main/primary caregiver, isn’t she tired of this routine everyday? Maybe she wants a change, a variety. Maybe she feels unappreciated. You need to talk to your wife, kindly, and want to understand. Not condemn her.”
Korike0017 commented: “You clearly have no idea how much effort it takes to raise kids and be the ‘school parent.’”
The husband had bragged about earning around $500,000 a year, in a development that left some Redditors confused and furious at why he would object to his wife getting help around the house.
Stolenfires told the husband he “seems to enjoy knowing his wife is struggling to keep up with their kids,” while Jolly_Dragonfruit_42 wrote that there was “no reason if their wife is struggling they don’t get a housekeeper to come in a day or two a week.”
Lizanna asked: “What is the point of making $500k per year if you won’t use it to make your wife’s life a little easier?” and Tatterededges123 wrote: “She’s your wife and the mother of your kids, she not your house slave. Be better.”
Newsweek reached out to u/terrible_fish_8942 for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
