Dad criticizes stay-at-home mom of an 8-month-old and a 2-year-old for not greeting him with a kiss when he comes home from work: 'The 1950s called. They want their man back.'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
May 22, 2026 7:45 AM EDT

He does not value the work she is doing for their family.

It's no secret that many men have complexes about stay-at-home moms. A considerable population of weirdos considers them the ultimate freeloaders, sitting around at home all day scrolling through Instagram reels, washing a dish or two over the course of eight hours, while their hardworking husbands slave away providing in the salt mines, or wherever they imagine that their husbands are working. Another subsection of freaks believes that being a stay-at-home mom is the only noble pursuit a woman could possibly pursue, and any woman choosing to contribute to the household through her full-time career is robbing her children of the full extent of a mother's love. How could your kids possibly know that you love them if you're not willing to sacrifice yourself fully for them? 

In reality, most stay-at-home moms are just ordinary women trying to do what is best for their family during a particular season of their lives. The duties of being a stay-at-home mom are incredibly difficult when your kids are not yet in school. When your kids spend 7 hours a day getting an education, you have time to breathe and relax a little bit more as a stay-at-home mom. When all of your kids are at home and require your constant attention, it's far more demanding than most full-time white-collar jobs. 

The dad in this story doesn't understand how hard his wife is working. He wants her to be constantly available to him, even when she's taking care of their children. 

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  • Tired and frustrated mother with small toddler daughter in messy bedroom at home resting
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    A stay-at-home mom struggles with laundry when her husband comes home from work, instead of immediately getting up to enthusiastically greet him.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Am I the bad guy for not greeting my husband immediately when he gets home?

    I'm a stay at home mom to an 8 month old and a2 year old. He usually gets home around 6-6:30 right around the time I'm getting the kids ready for bed, cooking dinner, and doing bath time. He
    via u/Illustrious_Spare864
  • expects me to meet him at the door with a kiss and hug, all giddy and excited. I understand wanting to be "wanted", however I'm usually busy with a task that needs to get done. I
    via u/Illustrious_Spare864
  • always say hello, but it's not easy to just drop what I'm doing and immediately run over to the door. Now, he walks in the house with an attitude and will be like "where's my hug/kiss??". We had an
    via u/Illustrious_Spare864
  • argument about it last night, because I don't think it's realistic to expect this everyday. AITAH?
    via u/Illustrious_Spare864
  • Next-Firefighter4667 Notice how he doesn't ask you how your day was, doesn't go to you to greet you, doesn't say anything about the kids, he just passive aggressively guilt trips you for not dropping everything and running to greet him like a dog? He isn't thinking about anyone but himself, while you're managing his home and taking care of his children. My husband was a stay at home Dad for the first 5 years of my daughter's life, now he stays home with our son and works evenings. I would come h
    via u/Next-Firefighter4667
  • A man carrying a little girl up a flight of stairs
    via Brooke Cagle (Unsplash+)

    A stay-at-home dad plays with his daughter during the day while his wife brings home the bacon. 

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • him and kiss him, kiss my daughter, change out of my work clothes, and then he'd get 20-30 minutes to do whatever he needed to do the he couldn't while home alone with our daughter, then I'd get 20-30 minutes to do whatever I needed to do to unwind after work, and then we'd work together to get dinner done, baths out of the way, etc. It's a partnership. The home is both of ours, the children are both of ours. We have different roles, but nobody is left carrying a bigger burden.
    via u/Next-Firefighter4667
  • SmellyGarbo123 1950s called. They want their man back.
    via u/SmellyGarbo123
  • Teenage couple having summer picnic by stream circa 1950s in the United States
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    A couple from the 1950s, a time when women were more likely to be expected to greet their husbands at the door as they came home from work. 

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Stellar_Jay8 My eyes rolled so hard at this. Even before I had kids, there's no way I'd be giddy waiting at the door for my husband. I have sh to do. NTA but your husband is.
    via u/Stellar_Jay8
  • IrrelevantManatee NTA. Is he not able to walk to whatever part of the house you are in and get that hug/kiss? Leaving a baby and a toddler alone while you run to great him seems just dangerous, all that to inflate his male ego. Also... what about the fact that YOU want to feel wanted too ?!
    via u/IrrelevantManatee
  • Rambling ManUK With an 8 month old and a 2 year old? He's lucky you have time to say hello. NTA. I'm going to assume this man has never looked after both kids for a full day, including cooking etc?
    via u/RamblingManUK
  • Illustrious_Spare864 OP Yes he's never been alone with them for a full day. He was alone with them on Mother's Day because I took off but his mom came over to help him all day lol. He knows he couldn't handle it.
    via u/Illustrious_Spare864
  • Rambling ManUK How did I guess? :-) Tell him that, as he thinks you have it so easy, you are going out with his mom for a full day and that you expect a nice greeting when you get back.
    via u/RamblingManUK
  • Illustrious_Spare864 OP It's interesting too, when I leave the house for even an hour or two I never get a greeting when I return. He's always busy / someone's crying / he's changing a diaper. But I guess it's not a two way street
    via u/Illustrious_Spare864
  • Rambling ManUK Start calling him out on this.
    via u/RamblingManUK
  • LD228 And don't have any more kids with him!!!!
    via u/LD228
  • -my-cabbages NTA - He's jealous of the attention his own children get from you... literal children
    via u/-my-cabbages
  • allhinkedup NTA. This man trusts you to run his house and raise his children, but he can't take ten steps to greet you when he walks in the door? He's home from work, but you're still AT work, doing the work he expects you to do. He needs to start showing you the respect you deserve.
    via u/allhinkedup

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