The suitcase wheels caught on the escalator as I struggled to balance our sleeping daughter in one arm and our whining son’s hand in the other. Where was my husband? Off enjoying a beer with his college buddy while I did the heavy lifting – both literally and figuratively. That moment crystallized all my unspoken resentments.
Instead of another exhausting argument, I chose a different approach. When Tom’s poker night arrived, I suddenly “remembered” a girlfriend needed me, leaving him to handle dinner, baths and bedtime alone. I returned to find him frazzled but enlightened. “How do you do this every day?” he asked, and for the first time, I felt truly seen.
The change was gradual but profound. Tom started noticing what needed to be done without being asked. By our next family trip, he was the one organizing luggage and keeping the kids entertained at baggage claim. What began as a moment of marital crisis became the foundation for a stronger, more balanced relationship.
