He Took a Break from His 60-Hour Work Week, Only to Discover His Wife Had Other Plans for His Day Off.

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In a marriage built on a seemingly well-balanced division of labor, the Original Poster (OP) finds himself at a breaking point. After months of exhausting work, he negotiates a single day off from both his job and household responsibilities, only to find his wife disregarding their agreement. As interruptions turn to arguments and the household atmosphere grows icy, the story leaves us wondering: Who is in the wrong?

A Seven-Year Marriage

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OP has been married to his wife for seven years. Together, they have two children: a six-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl. His wife is a stay-at-home mom, while OP works a full-time job at an office.

A Balanced Household

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During weekdays, the wife manages the home and takes care of the children. On weekends and evenings, OP chips in, and they divide chores and childcare evenly. It’s a system that, until now, has worked well for both.

A Social Butterfly and a Homebody

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They moved to the wife’s home state so she could be closer to her family and friends. She enjoys an active social life, going on three or four girls’ trips each year. OP doesn’t mind this at all; he prefers the solace of home, where he can paint or play video games.

A Major Work Project

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For the past four months, OP has been immersed in a critical work project. He’s been pulling 60-hour weeks and feels completely drained. As the project nears completion, he feels the need for a break.

Planning a Day Off

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Tired and stressed, OP informs his wife that he’s planning to take a day off from work and household responsibilities. He tells her two weeks in advance and reminds her again three days before. She agrees to manage the household and kids on that day.

The Day Finally Arrives

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OP’s long-anticipated day off comes around. He immerses himself in painting, a hobby that he loves and finds relaxing. Suddenly, he’s interrupted by his wife. While painting, his wife tells him that their daughter has spilled milk all over herself and needs a bath.

Back to Video Games

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OP is frustrated with the milk fiasco but complies, thinking these things happen. OP returns to his leisure time and starts playing video games. But yet again, his wife interrupts his solitude with a request.

Math Homework Crisis

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OP’s wife informs him that their son needs help with math homework. When asked why she can’t do it, she mentions she’s busy with “work.” This “work” turns out to be a conversation with her best friend.

A Boiling Point Reached

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Infuriated, OP completes the homework help and then informs his wife he’s leaving the house for five hours. He insists that this day was supposed to be his day off, as agreed. He spends his remaining free time at the park.

The Cold Return

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When OP returns home from his simple but much-needed escape where he had time to think and relax, he’s met with a frosty atmosphere. His wife accuses him of abandoning her and the kids, to which he is incredulous.

The Dramatic Accusation

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His wife yells at him, claiming he left her stranded with household chores and childcare. She says she doesn’t have the luxury of taking off whenever she likes, like he does. This shocks OP, who thought they had an agreement.

A Sister’s Perspective

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Confused and upset, OP seeks advice from his sister, who always tells him the raw truth. His sister, a mother of three, explains that parenting is a 24/7 job, throwing another perspective into the mix.

The Underlying Tensions

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Clearly, there are underlying tensions in the marriage that this event has brought to the surface. Both OP and his wife seem to have differing expectations about shared responsibilities. OP is left wondering if his actions were justifiable.

An Unresolved Conflict

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His initial agreement with his wife about taking a day off now seems to be in dispute, causing both to question the fairness of their roles. The incident leaves an unresolved conflict between OP and his wife. Neither feels they were in the wrong.

Was The Man’s Behavior Appropriate?

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OP posts his story online to gauge the judgment of the internet community. The readers in the forum had a lot of mixed views on the matter.

Forum Responds

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One reader said, “I say OP is justified based on the fact that OP’s either working or at home with his family and the fact that he let his wife know about his need for a break after a strenuous project, and she didn’t respect that, despite knowing for weeks.”

Another Commenter Thinks

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Another responder wrote, “No one can be a parent 24/7. It’s just not possible. You do need breaks from time to time. You’re only human. You WILL break before your children do, trust me. He just wanted a day to himself.”

A Third View on The Story

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A different person stated, “When a parent leaves the house for a weekend, the other cannot pass off any responsibility. So, if the other takes a single day off, they should be afforded the same courtesy.”

A Final Perspective on the Matter

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Another reader commented, “Both parents deserve time off from parenting. The wife gets it, and so the husband deserves it as well. OP expressed the need, and their wife agreed to it. That was not honored at home, so OP left to get time alone. I think that is reasonable.”