By Luann Dawkins

I was at a party the other night with my husband and was in a nice conversation with two women I had just met. My husband (lets call him Barney) was standing behind me conversing with the husbands of these women and had also just met them. Of course when a wife is within earshot of her husband she always has one ear on his conversation, we have to make sure he is not divulging state secrets about our household or making a fool out of us. So, I was listening to his story and low and behold he said the words....MY WIFE DOESN'T WORK!!!!

I had never heard that bit of filth roll off his tongue before, so naturally I was stunned! What does he mean "I don't work"??? Does he not realize what a massive undertaking it is just to get him all he needs and desires in his daily life? Apparently not.

The ride home was silent, save for the ever annoying, "what's wrong?" That went on for at least 5 miles to which I replied, "nothing, I'm fine." I decided when we arrived at the house, I would have ample time in my nightly bath to simmer and plot my revenge. I gave great thought to cleaning the toilet with his tooth brush, adding an entire bottle of starch to his underwear, and putting salt in his coffee instead of sugar. But then I realized that none of those things would change his perception of what I do. Although they sure would be satisfying!!!! Instead, I decided to give his a little taste of my daily life.

On the following weekend I was mysteriously struck with a debilitating case of stomach flu! "What a shame I'm so ill Barney, I had so much that has to be done this weekend, do you think you could change your plans and pitch in with the household chores?" Like moth to a flame Barney bit. "Sure I can help, you just rest and leave it all to me." "Oh, Barney you are such a dear, Thank you."

I chuckle as I write this because that was the sweetest weekend of my married life. I made sure Barney never got to sit down for more than two seconds at a time. He went to the grocery store, did the laundry, dusted, vacuumed, cleaned the kitchen, bathrooms, and changed sheets, weeded the garden, bathed the dogs and three cats (that was particularly amusing), cooked breakfast lunch and dinner. And as if on cue, my son threw up all over the carpet. Yes, Karma can certainly bite you in the rear.

A wise word to all the Barneys' of the world, when in conversation with others do not ever say anything about your wife that is not first sent to committee, voted on and approved.

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Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

ally
2012-08-16T06:56:28.000Z
Good for you!!! Taking care of the house and kids is the hardest work of all!!! Going to an office is much easier. Most people know that It is extremely hectic, vey emotional and stressful. Men think because you are at home so that makes it easier. No, sorry, much harder.
B
2011-08-26T14:07:36.000Z
Of course you're working, you're raising a family. In that case, the stay-at-home spouse usually does work the same 8 - 10 hour day as the spouse who has a job outside the home. As long as you're both putting in roughly the same number of hours, it shouldn't be an issue. My wife works part time -- usually a day or two a week. What kills me is that she saves all the household chores for when I get home so we can do them together. "I'm not your maid" and "we should share equally in taking care of the home" are the comments with which I'm most familiar. Really? I work 50 hours a week, you work 10. What are you doing in those spare 40? "What would you do without me?" I ask. "Get a full time job to support myself" she says. Hmmmm... So you'd only work if you needed the money? And not because it represents a fair investment of effort in our future? "Well you make 10x the money I do! I doesn't make sense for me to work..." Does it occur to you that the reason I make more is that I've been working my ass off for 20 years? Apparently not. So if your work in the home doesn't amount to an equitable amount of time that your husband spends working outside the home -- quit complaining. I do love how you get angry about all the things you do for your husband (meals, laundry, etc.), but don't give him credit for working all day to pay for the food, clothes, home, etc.
dan
2011-07-14T15:38:53.000Z
Personally anyone that vindictive should not be married. And of course this sounds like a scenario where " Barney " makes good money and his wife is thinking..." hey he owes it to me" good luck in life...
Shadow
2010-08-29T05:06:12.000Z
LoL... This looks like a marriage heading for divorce. In my first relationship I tested alot of theories, and stuck by them and glad I did. I am a successful person in life and live mid class life. In my first relationship the lady wanted to get married and I tested her she was one that never wanted to work in life and be a stay at home mother. So I told her she could move in under 1 restriction, she get a part time job and pay off her debts (ALL OF THEM). I would pay for everything else in those 3 months and if she couldn't I would kick her out. Month 3 rolled along and she finally got a part time job. She lasted 2 weeks. Long story short at the end of the 3rd month I gave her a notice to surrender her credit report bills and prove she had a job. Me kicking her out giving her a week to get out was the best thing I ever did she is on the welfare system 9 years now. Current relationship 7 years 1 Child mine and the other not. No child support for the other child coming in. Own a house and pay all the bills. My partner has only worked 3 months out of 7 years, I have paid for her to go to school cost me 25k for a diploma for her. Now agreement was I ever get hurt she would work to help out the oddball of income that would be coming in, well behold 3years after she gets her diploma I get hurt (really bad). Paying to retrain myself costing me 49k (Doing Civil Engineering). I ask her to get a job. You know what she tells me? She already has a job she cooks, cleans, takes after the kids, weeds the garden, makes me coffee every morning, etc. I find it so Ironic that its actually a job, I then ask her you get paid for it? and she steams away every time. Its like I can't even bring up issues that are going on. I then show her because of me going to school we are living in a negative value making no money at all every month. I then ask her again to atleast get a part time job to balance the account out. She says I have a full time job. Funny part is I go to school yes but its part time 25hours a week. I always see her doing crafts or watching tv(got rid of cable can't afford it) She complains about it. The house is what I wouldn't call clean. Not to mentioned I am disabled in life and going to school and planin on working full time after. One weekend she did this to me what you did to your hubby but there is a big difference, your hubby is not disabled in life, I am and I still managed to get everything done on the weekend my partner decided to make me do. 2 weeks after that, I told her you ever do that again I will kick your azz on the street quicker than quick. But this whole issue of not working it doesn't help the income at all. So I have finally put my foot down to her she has xx amount of time to get a part time job atleast or she is out. I think thats the proper way to put it, let the government take care of her, in return it saves me money! I make enough money to support me and my child. I don't make enough to support an entire family and I never asked for an entire family, is why I will never get married! What do you think the outcome was? I am one that don't believe in marriage, I think its a business contract to one another and no point in doing it, if you both are not making money then no point in getting married. The way I look at it I will never get married to me seems way to many women out there leachin off of men. Mind ya there are some women that actually work. Money is needed to live and if both parties can't make there own weight then why bother with the person. A women that comes out and says thats not right on what was typed, well its true where would you be if you didn't have your hubby? (On the Streets or working or on the welfare system)
Stefani
2013-04-26T15:05:40.000Z
I guess I love my husband too much to be this vindictive. "My wife doesn't work." Isn't a malicious statement. If it bothered you so much maybe you should have talked to him about it. I'm a housewife, maybe my house is smaller than yours, but it's not a hard gig. "My wife doesn't work." Why so defensive about this? Be proud of your husband for making enough money to make it possible for you to be a housewife.