When my husband Keith announced he was going on a vacation with his parents—without asking or considering me—I was stunned. Our newborn daughter, Lily, was only 12 weeks old, and I was completely exhausted from taking care of her around the clock. His justification? “You don’t work.” That one sentence hit me harder than any lack of sleep or dirty diaper. He truly believed maternity leave was a break, not a full-time responsibility.
Instead of arguing, I smiled and let him go. But once he left, I quietly packed up the baby, canceled our automatic bill payments, emptied the fridge, and headed to my mom’s. For two days, I turned off my phone and enjoyed some rare peace—while he was left to experience what “not working” at home really felt like.
The moment I switched my phone back on, the messages flooded in. “Where are you?” “Why is the power about to be shut off?” “I can’t find my suit!” I let him sit with the chaos for another day before replying: “Figured I’d take a vacation too—since I don’t work.” His panic quickly turned into apology, and I could tell the lesson had landed.
When I returned, the house was a mess, and Keith looked like he hadn’t slept in days. He apologized sincerely and admitted he had underestimated everything I do. So I handed him a printed list: his new share of the household duties. From that day on, things changed. He took on more, appreciated more, and understood the value of the work that doesn’t come with a paycheck. Sometimes the best way to be heard is with quiet action—and a little time away.
