I Was Helping My Wife at Home and Didn’t Notice When She Made Me a Housekeeper – My Story

I’ve always wanted to be someone who follows my dreams. Recently, I’ve seen my aspirations take a backseat in my marriage. In planning my future, do I allow my wife to become the head of the household or try to pursue my passions as well?

My mother, Daisy, always encouraged me to give 100% in everything I do. “Roni, you should always be the best version of yourself,” Daisy would always tell me. Growing up, my father wasn’t around much, so I helped around the house as much as possible.

I’m a painter, which can be a messy and time-consuming business, so I learned to keep a tidy work environment. It was easy to balance chores around the house, as my mother and I split tasks equally. Cleaning became second nature to me, and there was never a dirty surface at home.

About five years ago, I met Katie, a highly-driven businesswoman. At first, our relationship was purely work-related, as she needed to purchase artwork for her new office space. Her accounting practice had just moved into my hometown. She bought a few of my pieces, and we hit it off straight away.

We recently got married and have plans to start a family when the time is right. Katie and I moved in together and have a beautiful house that we both adore. At first, we supported each other perfectly, as I had no issue helping Katie around our home.

When it came to washing the dishes, sweeping and mopping the floors, or cooking dinner, I was always happy to help. “I’m so lucky to have a man who isn’t a slob,” Katie told me. Initially, it was a nice balance, as I could still make time for my paintings.

This balance is essential because some pieces can take me a week, while others can take months. Katie’s practice grew steadily, and we had a balanced, co-dependent relationship. We did our fair share to keep the household spotless and our finances in order.

I appreciated that Katie supported my endeavors, and my work was beginning to gain more and more popularity. I was steadily moving from selling small paintings to more bespoke pieces. I would’ve been making even more money at the rate I was going, but soon enough, things started to change.

As the business gained more clients, Katie began working longer hours at her practice. What started as a 9-to-5 job quickly became more demanding. I would never hold my wife back from her career because I know how hectic the corporate world can be.

But I started noticing that even when she was around, she slowly began to avoid chores and duties around the house. “You work from home, so it’s easier for you to do the laundry,” Katie would say. While I have no problem handling any of these tasks, I also have ambitions.

The extra time I need to spend on managing Katie’s housework is less time I have for my...