Play Your Role: Should Men Wake Up With Crying Babies?

Last week I had a conversation with a friend of mine. He was venting to me about his marriage and shared an argument that he was having with his wife. I’m friends with both of them, so I knew he trusted me to have a non biased opinion. When he began his story, I listened. I made it a point not to respond right away, and I hoped that my opinion wouldn’t cause any more damage.


 Here we go. My guy friend works. He actually works two jobs. His wife is a stay at home mom. They also have 3 small children. If you need to read that again, feel free. Having small children, as in babies, we know they don’t exactly sleep through the night. Well, my guy friend says he and his wife, who is also my friend, argue because he doesn’t feel he has to wake up at night and help with the babies. He goes on to tell me that his justification is he works two jobs and is exhausted when he gets home. He rounds that statement out with telling his wife that it’s Her job to wake up with the kids. First, I told him that he probably shouldn’t have told her that waking up with the kids was her “job.” He definitely could have left that part out. Additionally I said that I understand where he’s coming from, but he has to be willing to help out sometimes. I actually agree that she should be the primary person waking up with the kids. If his job is to provide for the family, he needs to work so that he can provide. If her role is to take care of the house and the kids, she should do that. I want to emphasize that him working two jobs to support the family doesn’t exempt him from participating in non “outside the home activities” Any man that goes out and works on average 14-16 hour days, definitely shouldn’t have to worry about waking up with crying babies.
I’m sure there are a large number of women that are turning their nose up at me right now, and that’s okay.

 Your opinion counts, leave a comment and let me know what you think