AITA for Getting Mad About My Wife Wanting Two Days Off Each Week? In a recent disagreement, a husband voiced his frustration over his wife’s decision to volunteer at their child’s school during her part-time workdays.
Both 33 years old and parents of two young children, the couple had initially agreed that the wife’s two days off from work would be dedicated to managing household chores and responsibilities. This arrangement was intended to help balance their busy lives and financial constraints, especially since the wife was transitioning back to work after maternity leave.
The wife’s choice to use her days off for volunteering sparked a heated argument. The husband felt that these days should focus on household duties, which had increased with the arrival of their second child. He suggested that if she wanted to take on additional commitments, she should consider working extra shifts to contribute more financially.
In contrast, the wife believed she should have control over her time off and that her volunteering was a separate matter from household responsibilities.
Let’s swiftly assess a handful of the top comments: AITA for Getting Mad About My Wife Wanting Two Days Off Each Week?
YTA. Kids don’t raise themselves. Your wife is getting involved with their schooling and the parenting community. That doesn’t exactly sound like a fun hobby or day out. She’s not having bottomless mimosas during this time. This is work.
You absolutely do not get to tell her what to do with her time off. I suggest you hire a cleaner (that you both pay for)
Listen. Your kids are small. One day they will be grown. Do you think they’ll remember whether the floor was vacuumed and the windows were washed? Or do you think they’ll remember that their mom was there for them?
Some of my best times were volunteering at my kids’ schools, and they’d tell you the same. Don’t take that away from your wife and kids. If you can, try to carve more time for yourself to be there for them, too. You won’t regret it. Even if the baseboards are dirty. They’ll just remember that you showed up.
thirdtryisthecharm writes:
I feel that the days off are for her completing the tasks that we often don’t have time for
That includes things for the kids. Being involved in their education is something you BOTH need to make time for.
she needs to accept that family responsibility comes first.
Being involved with the kids’ school is absolutely contributing to the family’s wellbeing, thought slightly indirectly.
You seem to take an incredibly narrow view of what being an involved parent means. YTA
“I feel like she is being selfish by wanting full control over her days off while not working full time.”
But… it’s not selfish for YOU to want to control what SHE does on HER day off?
YTA.
NFO: nowhere here do I see her saying that she’s not going to handle the household chores you agreed she’d do, just that she wants to spend some of her days off at school (no one spends 16 hours a week at a school for PTA activities). Did she say she’s not going to do what she agreed to?