Woman’s Refusal To Attend “Family Vacation” Sparks Dispute, As Husband Eyes Rendezvous With Old Friend

“I’m not pulling my kids out of school for a 3-day babysitting stint in another town!”

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• November 19, 2023

Our narrator (Original Poster) was a supermom who bravely tackled the daily chaos of raising three young kids. Her husband frequently jetted out of town for work, leaving her to hold down the fort alone for at least a week—this was no easy feat.

Suddenly, a longtime friend of OP’s husband popped up on the scene. He was stationed five hours away for a limited time, so OP’s husband decided to grab this rare opportunity for a long overdue reunion.

He took three days off work for this purpose, but there was just one problem: his return coincided with a week-long work expedition. This meant OP would have to single-handedly manage the domestic front longer than she had to do.

This dilemma triggered a brilliant idea—why not pack up the brood and make the road trip a family affair? On the surface, this might have sounded like a heartwarming suggestion, but OP could read between the lines and sense the ulterior motive behind it.

OP had a hunch he dangled the idea so he could conveniently play the “I tried” card if she declined. This would set the stage for a guilt-free escapade for him while she stayed home with the little rascals.

The prospect of solo parenting while he bonded with his friend over golf left OP unenthusiastic, so she took a hard pass on the invitation. Her husband was furious and insisted it would be fun, but OP stood her ground.

OP’s friends also accused her of being too cynical, but the whole thing just sounded impractical. Was she the villain for turning down the trip?

The story in detail

A little background

OP refused following her husband on his trip, especially since it wouldn’t be exciting for the kids. Now, he’s pretty upset

OP returned with some juicy updates

Here’s how the Reddit community reacted to the story:

Imagine treating your family like a bring-along luggage

“NTA, tell him you’ll go if he doesn’t golf so you have help with the kids.“

“Maybe he can take the kids for this fun outing with his friend while you rest at home.”

“NTA but your husband is. The friend can meet your husband halfway for a lunch and/or golf.“

“Three small kids, solo mom, boring town in late Fall sounds miserable. You are right to say no.“

“He’s gaslighting you by making you feel bad by turning down an desirable invitation.”

“Let him go on his trip. When he's back go on your own trip minus kids at the very least for an overnight.”

Redditors rallied behind OP, applauding her decision to stand her ground. They even speculated he needed bro-bonding time with his friend, and so needed OP to keep his friend's girlfriend occupied—It definitely wasn’t worth pulling the kids out of school for.

With the wisdom OP received from Reddit, she decided to have a second conversation with her husband — and this time, the results were positive.

Now, OP will be getting a spa treatment once her husband returns. Cheers to the power of community!

We’d love to get your thoughts on this story. Join the conversation in the comments.

Jesse