When I was growing up I thought my Dad treated my Mom so poorly. One time someone said, what did you get your wife for Christmas. He responded; “I got her an outboard motor for the boat.”

Sadly there was a lot of truth in that statement. He almost always put himself first.

I didn’t want to be; “that guy”, I wanted to treat my wife with respect, show her love and support. What ended up happening was I married a woman that had many traits that my Dad had. She was abusive and not a very happy person. I cleaned the house and yard on a regular basis, I often cooked. I did that unpaid labor you mentioned.

While we were together, her career took off, she went back to school, got her degree and on to bigger jobs. I thought this is great; she is making a good salary, I am making a good salary, our daughter will be out of the house soon and we can now enjoy the fruits of our labor. Well she had other plans. First she got a breast enlargement. Then she got her yoga teacher certification, then a few months later told me she has not been in love with me and wanted a divorce! So now I was on the hook to buy her a new house and pay off her Lexus!

It’s not always the man who makes out better.