Parenting is a gig that, while it gets easier with time, is never really simple. Especially when you’re in the trenches of sleep deprivation and changing roles, reactions can get pretty out there.
OP woke to his young daughter screaming for her mother in the middle of the night. Thinking that she might be in trouble, or that she could wake the baby if she kept it up, he flew out of bed to check on her.
My wife and I were asleep in our bedroom. Our daughter (3) screamed “mommy” in the middle of the night in her room. I ran over as fast as I could to see what was wrong and to prevent our other daughter (1) from waking up from the noise.
His wife was angry, stating that if their daughter asked for her, she should have been the one to go.
We had a big fight and her standpoint is that only she is allowed to go to our daughter when she calls for mommy. Especially because she is at home with the kids right now and I have to work.
AITA?
OP disagreed, and asked Reddit their advice.
My standpoint is that I have a right to know what is wrong with my daughter and try to help her, even if her first reaction is to call mommy?
Here’s what they had to say.
The top comment reassured OP he did nothing wrong, and that parents should have equal status with the children.
Image Credit: Reddit
This person, though, wonders whether or not OP’s wife is entirely healthy.
Image Credit: Reddit
And this commenter agrees, stating that just because something is problematic, that doesn’t mean she’s simply a jerk.
Image Credit: Reddit
This person believes there could be a number of factors at play.
Image Credit: Reddit
Either way, no one thinks OP is wrong for checking on his kid.
Image Credit: Reddit
OP updated and said he did speak to his wife and they’ve begun to iron the whole thing out.
EDIT: It turns out that some of the theories here were correct and she thinks that on a weekday (or weeknight) taking care of the kids is her job so I’m rested for work.
And my actions made it so she couldn’t do her job and like I was saying she’s doing a bad job.
She will be back at work when the young one starts kindergarten in the fall and she thinks she would feel different then.
All’s well that ends well, I suppose!
At least, as far as we know.