Family Gets Lice Outbreak When Dad Allows His Homeless Brother To Stay With Them

Is anyone else suddenly feeling itchy?

Chelsi

• Published in Interesting
• April 16, 2024

A husband felt betrayed when his wife left him alone to deal with a lice infestation at home. The lice outbreak happened when OP visited her parent's house to introduce her newborn during a long weekend.

OP's husband and their three older kids opted out of the short trip and decided to stay home while OP was away. While at her parent's house, her husband called to inform OP that his brother needed a place to crash.

OP knew it was a bad idea because her brother-in-law stole from them in the past. She asked her husband to drive his brother to an available shelter because she was uncomfortable with him staying in their house.

When OP and her baby arrived home from their trip, all five house tenants were itchy. OP and her baby immediately left to drive to her parent's house.

Her phone rang with constant calls from her husband. He wanted OP's help to deal with the lice infestation, but she didn't answer his calls until the baby was settled in her parent's house.

OP told her husband that the pharmacy should have the shampoo and comb he needed to delice everyone. Her husband wanted OP to take care of the issue.

OP reminded her husband that he allowed his brother to stay in their home against her wishes.

She also refreshed his memory about when their eldest got lice from kindergarten. OP dealt with that by herself.

So, her husband begrudgingly drove his brother to a shelter and spent a few days delousing himself and the kids. OP and the baby only went home when her mother-in-law confirmed their house was pest-free. Her husband is still pissed, but OP is still recovering from giving birth to deal with another issue.

OP clarified that her husband dealt with the lice alone. His mom dropped by to confirm for OP that his brother was out of the house and that it was safe for her and the baby to come back.

He was pissed that he had to deal with the fallout of his shortsighted decision. The consequences and how he feels about them are for him to tackle, not OP's.

Where did he get the audacity to demand that his postpartum wife clean up his mess?

Why was he so willing to risk their newborn getting lice? This man makes questionable parenting decisions.

He also planned to go to work when he knew he had lice. He was willing to infect his coworkers as long as he didn't deal with the lice outbreak he invited into their house.

If the decision was up to OP, her brother-in-law never would have darkened their doorstep.

OP's MIL was wise enough not to let her son into her house. OP's husband believed he knew better than the two women in his life.

Is this a one-time thing or does he always expect OP to clean up his messes for him?

I didn't see an apology anywhere in the post. All I gleaned from it was his determination to blame OP for his unwise decisions.

Is he the type to play the hero without wanting to do all the hard work that comes with it?

Unfortunately, it would be OP's job to remind her husband to do another treatment for him and their kids if she doesn't want another itchy outbreak.

Redditors found no sympathy for OP's husband. They approved of her decision to leave her husband to deal with the consequences of his actions.

Their poor kids were collateral damage to the infestation their father subjected them to. OP did not share any further updates, and one can only hope that her husband learned from that itchy experience.

Chelsi