My son divorced his wife because she became lazy. I taught him a lesson he will never forget
2024-05-25 19:05:11
TiranaPost
My son, Michael, as a child was very ambitious in everything he did, from school to sports. It was a trait I admired and encouraged. However, as he got older, his determination sometimes turned to a harshness that worried me.
Michael married Lisa out of college. She was equally ambitious and intelligent, so they quickly bonded over their shared interests and similar personalities. After graduation, they built successful careers and had a generally smooth relationship.
But everything changed six months after their child was born. The birth was difficult, so Liza decided to quit her job and not return after maternity leave. She wanted to get better and spend more time with the baby.
Michael started criticizing Lisa for little things. The house was not clean enough. Dinner was not ready on time. He would come home and find her taking a nap or watching TV, and it pissed him off. He didn't look at her sleepless nights, the constant attention the baby demanded, or the endless chores she managed during the day. He only saw what he perceived as laziness.
My son stopped helping with the housework, arguing that if Liza didn't work, she had enough time to handle everything herself, and he was too tired from work to do anything else around the house. When the tension between them reached a peak, they decided to divorce.
After the breakup, Michael came to live with me. I felt very sad watching everything that happened. I always tried to teach Michael about respect and empathy, but he seemed to have forgotten those values. That's when I knew it was time for a lesson he would never forget.
I decided to give Liza a present. I booked a one-week vacation with the promise that I would take care of the girl.
During dinner, I told my son that Liza would be gone for a week and gave him a piece of paper with a list of tasks. It was a schedule of everything Liza did in a single day: wake up at 6 a.m., make breakfast, wash, dress, feed the baby, clean the house, do the grocery shopping, laundry, cooking, and countless other tasks. Michael saw the list, his expression slowly changing from confusion to understanding.
I want you to take care of the baby and manage the house for a week, just like Liza did, I told her calmly. No help from anyone. I will only intervene if you have too much load. You have to understand what she does every day.
In just a few days, the house turned into a disaster.
Reluctantly, Michael agreed. The first day was a nightmare. He overslept, got up later than he should have, tried to get the baby ready, burned breakfast and by noon the house was a mess. By the third day, he was exhausted. He couldn't keep up the pace that the child required. Housework no no no.
At the end of the week, Michael was a changed man. He sat with me, with tears in his eyes, he said, "Mom, I had no idea." I thought she was lazy, but she was working harder than she had ever worked. I took it for granted and now I've lost everything."
I hugged my son, feeling a mixture of pride and sadness. It's not too late to make things right, Michael. You need to apologize and show her that you understand. Tell her you've changed.
Michael took my advice to heart. He approached Lisa, expressing his deepest apologies and admitting his mistakes. It wasn't easy and it took time, but eventually, Liza saw the sincerity in his efforts. They decided to give their relationship another try for the girl's sake.
Michael learned a lesson he will never forget. At least I hope so.
