When you and your partner decide that you want to start trying for a baby, or want to start exploring your options when it comes to kids of your own, you may have to have some tricky conversations that may cause one or both of you to feel slightly uncomfortable - especially if it's suggested that one of you give up your job.
That's what happened when one business owner suggested that her husband gave up his job and become a stay-at-home dad, as she needed to work 40 to 50 hour weeks. She said that initially he was "fully on board", but when he realised that he'd really have to stop working, he wasn't as keen.
The woman explained to Reddit's 'Am I the a**hole' forum that she and her husband were "planning on trying for a baby in the next few months" as her husband wants to have a baby soon as "he doesn't want to be an 'old' parent."
She agreed, on the expectation that he'd quit his job and be a stay-at-home dad, and "be responsible for the majority of the childcare."
She wrote: "I own a small business that primarily relies on me to keep it running, and I am entering a part-time graduate program in the fall, so I need to have an uninterrupted 40-50 hour work week. He was fully on board with this, as he wants to be a stay-at-home parent anyway.
"However, in making future plans (such as purchasing a house), he has mentioned his work schedule and how it will fit into our new life as parents. He works part-time, but when I said that I needed him to be a full-time stay-at-home dad, I meant just that - even part-time work would be off the table since it overlaps with my work hours.
"He makes a very small fraction of what I do, like 3-10% of what I earn, depending on the month.
"He may have been confused because I have talked about hiring part-time childcare after we take our parental leave, but I intended the childcare to give us time to keep up on chores, spend time together as a couple, and give him a break in general since being a stay at home parent is exhausting."
She said she felt bad because he enjoys his job, but she doesn't want her workflow to be interrupted and wants him to be a stay-at-home dad who doesn't work.
People in the comments weren't impressed, with one Redditor writing: "It doesn't matter who makes more money, if that's not what he wants to do, you have no right to make him.
"Relationships are an agreement. Not a dictatorship."
Someone else defended the woman though, commenting: "He needs to compromise on this if you are giving him a child, putting your body through hell, while keeping the lights on."
Another stated: "It's fine if that's what you BOTH want. But no one should dictate whether their spouse is allowed to work."
What would you do in this situation? Let us know in the comments.
