Mom Sick With 103 Degree Fever Contemplates Leaving After Husband Won't Help Around The House
In sickness and in health, this husband may not have received that message.
Dragana Gordic / Shutterstock A mother, sick and overwhelmed with responsibilities, took to Reddit to air out her grievances. She'd been struggling with a 103-degree fever, a consequence of catching an illness from her 4-year-old.
Despite her condition, she was compelled to maintain her duties as a stay-at-home mother. On the other hand, she felt that her husband has barely made an effort to take on her responsibilities.
The woman is now thinking about leaving her husband because he won't help around the house while she's ill.
She took to Reddit's "r/breakingmom," described as a place for "Moms only," to voice her frustrations. "I’m a SAHM and my 4 year old gave me whatever sickness she had last week and now I’ve had a 103 fever for 4 days," she wrote.
Her mother, sensing the gravity of the situation, embarked on a 4-hour journey to lend a helping hand. "She played with my kids all day Monday," she wrote, emphasizing her inability to even stand without feeling drained.
Photo: Reddit
While the universe bestowed some kindness upon her with her mother's assistance, the support from her own husband was just not there. Dinner, a basic familial responsibility, became a litmus test of her husband's commitment.
While he did manage to muster the effort to make dinner on one occasion, his subsequent inertia left her baffled and hurt. "He was on his phone from the time he got home til the kids went to sleep," she wrote.
When she endeavored to rest, even for a mere five minutes after a taxing hour with the kids, his critique cut deep. "And he told me I am 'worse' than him when he’s sick because I had a sweatshirt on and socks and laid down for 5 minutes after entertaining my kids for an hour," she wrote.
His consistent refusal to help his wife highlights a common issue many couples experience: one partner feeling undervalued and overburdened. Her frustration with the entire situation was palpable as she pondered, "I could just go live alone."
Photo: Reddit
People shared similar stories and offered support for her situation.
One person offered some words of warning and encouraged her to leave her relationship. “I experienced this with my now ex-husband. If he treats you like this now, he will never be there for you," one person wrote. "Please leave now, if you have any way to do so. It’s only going to get worse."
Another person made an assumption that perhaps the husband's incessant phone usage hinted at infidelity. But the mother doesn't seem to believe that's the case. "He likes to play games and watch videos to relax," she wrote.
However, her tolerance has limits. The echo of her children's voices, repeatedly trying to garner their father's attention, becomes a clarion call for change. "I can't stand it when I hear my kids repeat things to him 6 times before he looks up," she wrote.
While the road ahead remains uncertain for this mother, her resilience and love for her children shine through, serving as a beacon for many in similar situations. The onus is on the husband to set up. Even though her illness is temporary, her husband's behavior is a sign of a greater issue.
Brittney Lindstrom, a licensed professional counselor, told YourTango in December 2022 what one should do if they're in a one-sided relationship.
"If they can't commit to changing, then they need to re-evaluate their priorities, and this isn't something you can help them do. They must do the hard work of working through their own issues, and even if they do, it would be wise not to let them back into your life," she wrote.
Ethan Cotler is a writer and frequent contributor to YourTango living in Boston. His writing covers entertainment, news, and human interest stories.