In the past, when I used to do less housework, my wife often criticized me for being patriarchal and not sharing household chores. I kind of agreed with her since she, as a stay-at-home wife, handled most of the household tasks at the time. However, things did not stop there.
Now that we have a young child, I have taken on practically every tasks, including washing dishes, taking out the trash, sweeping the floor, feeding the child, changing diapers, teaching the child, and cleaning.
I thought this would make me an exemplary husband, but no, my wife still says I am not "considerate enough." The standard of the ideal husband for her is becoming stricter. When I ask around, my friends say they also sometimes feel like they do not know how to make their wives happy.
When the new iPhone came out, I bought it as a birthday gift for my wife, only to be scolded for being wasteful. She constantly complains that the new iPhone is slower.
It turns out that the concept of an "ideal husband" is not just about what someone can do, but about the ever-growing expectations of the other person. In the past, a man was only expected to be good at earning money, now they also have to be adept at doing household chores and being thoughtful and understanding.
While trying to meet my wife’s expectations can sometimes be tiring and unsatisfying, I hope my efforts will eventually create a warm home. Perhaps, being an "ideal husband" does not mean meeting all her standards, but constantly striving to make the family happier.
Was it wasteful of me to buy my wife the new iPhone?
*This opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.