Nobody particularly enjoys doing housework , but the fact of the matter is it must be done. However, trying to decide who, how, and when it gets completed is another matter entirely and can often cause descent within the household ranks.
Recently, a Reddit user who goes by the handle CommercialMachine98 shared a story about her lazy husband accusing her of not doing enough chores around the house — even though she makes five times as much money as he does!
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Redditor CommercialMachine98 is the founder of her own startup company.
Her husband John, on the other hand, works a customer service job at the local movie theater. CommercialMachine98 explains how before she started her own company, their income was almost the same. Now, she makes five times as much money as her husband.
CommercialMachine98 also says that the chore division in their household has been historically skewed. Since she’s the one who enjoys cooking and prides herself on keeping a tidy house — the bulk of the work tends to fall on her.
“After the company started growing, John invested himself more in chores because he was staying at home due to movie theaters being closed.”
She adds that this newfound dedication to household chores was incredibly short-lived. “His workplace reopened a few months ago and he immediately stopped doing most chores,” CommercialMachine98 said.
But even though John has stopped doing his chores, he still comes home every evening complaining about how exhausted he is. On top of that, he usually sits around all night playing video games on his PS5.
In spite of her husband’s blatant disregard, CommercialMachine98 said nothing. That is until last week when the final straw broke the camel’s back.
“Last weekend, he crossed a line,” she began. “I work 7 days a week, John has weekends off, and he was playing video games all day while I was working – and he came to ask me when lunch would be ready.”
CommercialMachine98 tried to explain to John that she was busy and that if he could make his own lunch (for once) it would be a huge help. John then proceeded to pine for the “old days” when the homemaker had nothing to do, other than her duties.
CommercialMachine98 was floored by her husband’s hurtful sexist remark, and proceeded to let him have it.
John kept referring to himself as the breadwinner of the family since he was the one who actually had to leave the house for work. The fact that CommercialMachine98 worked out of the home immediately made her a “housewife” in his eyes.
“I steamrolled his claims by pointing out that I earn much more money than him,” CommercialMachine98 said. “I work longer hours and still do all the chores.”
She told John that if he was so smitten with the “good old days,” that he should quit his job and dedicate his life to housework.
CommercialMachine98 also made sure to point out that even if John lost his income, that their lifestyles wouldn’t change one iota — talk about twisting the knife!
John of course acted hurt and dejected but CommercialMachine98 would hear nothing of it. When Monday rolled around, she gave him a list of chores that should have taken 2-3 hours a day to complete. He complained constantly, to which CommercialMachine98 simply replies: “quit your job.”
The other day, John declared that he refused to do any more chores.
“I shouted him down into submission ,” she said, “telling him that I spent our entire common life picking up the ball that he keeps dropping and that his choice to work an unskilled job for pocket change does not preclude him from helping me, the breadwinner, keep this household in shape.”
CommercialMachine98 then proceeded to pack up John’s PS5, place it safely in their safe and changed the combination.
CommercialMachine98 then took to Reddit to ask whether or not she was in the wrong and had maybe taken things to far.
“Oh, my girl, you’re most definitely NTA,” wrote Redditor Shiny_Littlefoot. “In fact, don’t you dare take even the tiniest step back. Hold your ground as if your life depended on it.”
Another user said “If I were OP, I wouldn’t even waste my energy trying to force him to see why he’s so massively in the wrong. I would end the relationship.”
Where do you stand; was this hitting below the belt or has John been justly served? Leave a comment and let us know!
