Most couples notice that life changes after children, but not always for the better.

So, what would you do if your husband suddenly brought home flowers after years of not doing it, but never actually told you they were for you? Would you just assume they were and thank him? Or would it remind you of the unresolved issues in your marriage?

In the following story, one wife deals with this exact scenario and feels crushed by her husband’s actions. Here’s what’s going on.

AITAH for not acknowledging flowers my husband brought home

Before the kids, my husband would often surprise me with flowers. Sometimes I would wake up, and there would be flowers out of nowhere.

That all stopped once we had kids. In 9 years, no more surprise flowers. Our marriage has been on the rocks because of communication issues.

Earlier this week, I came home from a long day in the office with both kids, carrying all of our crap. While I was putting everything down, I heard my kid ask what the flowers were for. I had an instant second of joy.

Neither one of them acknowledged the flowers.

I was still putting my jacket and shoes away and didn’t see them or him. And he just said, “Oh, just to have.”

Suddenly, my joy vanished. I felt so silly thinking they were for me. He works from home, and I saw he had moved his car, so I knew he must have gone somewhere. I thought, finally! He thought to be thoughtful again. I felt so stupid thinking this.

So I kept changing and unpacking and getting the kids their millionth snack. He never mentioned the flowers.

At dinner, she asked about them.

Finally, at dinner, with the flowers in front of our faces, I asked him what they were for. He said they were for the house. The house.

I again just felt so disappointed. I was sad and kept to myself the rest of the night and went to bed early.

The next day, I texted him that I felt silly and disappointed because I thought the flowers were for me. He said that they were. He said that I just never acknowledged them, and he assumed I didn’t like them.

Finally, he agreed with her.

I told him that when someone gets something for someone, they give it to them or tell them. He got defensive, and I got more upset reflecting on the pattern of his bad communication.

He didn’t speak to me that evening until right before bed, when he said he agreed with me that he should have said something, but that he was mad at how upset I got about all of this and walked away.

Now I’m starting my day with 3 hours of sleep because I keep replaying this over and over, trying to figure out what led to it and whether I was the one who was wrong.

AITA?

Wow! It seems like they both kind of suck at communication.

Let’s check out what the folks over at Reddit think about the whole situation.

For this person, it’s about reconnecting as a couple.

This was a little confusing.

The last thought here is a scary one for most people.

Yet another reader who’s confused about what the wife expects.

She needs to talk to him, because it’s obvious he got the flowers for her.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.