Four years ago, this 29-year-old man got married to her 28-year-old wife, and they have two children together who are four and two.
He has a full-time job as a plumber, and his wife has a part-time position as a receptionist. After their 2-year-old son was born, he was incredibly sick, and due to that, they are in medical debt.
“We are not currently struggling but are living just at the point where we are comfortable,” he explained.
“My wife hates her job but keeps in it because she’s good at it, and it pays well enough for an entry-level position.”
“She has wanted to become a nurse for a long time but was unable to attend college, and with the kids, it’s fallen on the backline.”
He would love to see his wife pursue her dreams one day and become a nurse, and he has never been quiet about that.
However, his wife wants to switch careers right now, and he doesn’t believe it’s possible at this point in time because it’s not a good financial decision for them right now.
Aside from the fact that his wife will have to spend a ton of time studying or doing various clinical placements, they don’t exactly have the money to pay for her education or additional childcare.
They are still in debt, and if she’s not working, it won’t fix that. His wife wanting to attend nursing school right this moment just is not in the cards.
His wife has talked to her parents, who are willing to watch their kids when they can, and his wife has also promised to find a night shift job to help make money.
“But I don’t feel like this is going to be enough. She will be earning a lot less, and I will have to work more hours to make sure we are definitely financially alright,” he said.
“This will mean I spend less time at home [and] can’t contribute as much to household chores, which she will have to pick up and balance even more work. I said I can’t support this choice and that she should wait a few years until the kids are in school and she has more time.”
“She says I am [a jerk], that she has a right to be happy in her life, and I should be supporting her. She says it’s unfair that I get to enjoy my work (which I do), and she spends her days hating it.”
He knows it isn’t fair, but this is not a good time for his wife to pursue her dreams, and he can’t stand by and support her.
What advice do you have for him?
You can read the original post on Reddit here.
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By Bre Avery Zacharski
Hi, I'm Bre, Chip Chick's CEO! I have a degree in Textile/Surface Design from The Fashion Institute of Technology, and... More about Bre Avery Zacharski
