A 29-year-old mother recently shared her troubling experience on Reddit's AITA forum after returning to work and discovering her husband's neglectful behavior with their baby. Following a short maternity leave, the woman had no choice but to rely on her husband, 35, to care for their newborn while she was at work. Despite his unemployment since 2021 and reliance on benefits, he has shown little interest in household responsibilities or childcare.
Initially, the mother noticed that her husband seemed to manage well—keeping the baby clean and engaged. However, her relief was short-lived. A neighbor soon informed her that the baby would cry for hours after she left and that her husband was often found sleeping while neglecting the child's needs. This revelation led the mother to suspect that he was merely putting on a façade of responsible parenting.
To verify her concerns, the mother devised a plan. She took a day off work and returned home unexpectedly. What she discovered was startling: her husband was asleep with noise-canceling headphones on, leaving their baby unattended. Acting on her instinct to protect her child, she took the baby to a friend's house for safety.
When she later informed her husband, who was frantic and nearly called the police, he was met with a harsh reality check. His mother was present to support him, and they both confronted the wife, accusing her of being “terrible.”
In response to the backlash, the mother justified her extreme measure, acknowledging it might have been severe but arguing that her husband's neglect was a serious issue. She decided to leave him and stay with a friend while contemplating legal action against him.
The Reddit community largely supported her decision, emphasizing the severity of her husband's neglect and the potential danger it posed to their child. Many commenters commended the mother for taking action to ensure her baby's safety, despite the method being controversial.
“I’m done with him. He’s waiting for an apology,” she stated, summarizing her stance on the situation.