Need your opinion... Does this wife owe him more?

[katyseagull]

Hi V.R.,

It's an interesting topic because it almost seems like whichever partner gets settled first in a stable job ends up sort of supporting the other and having to sacrifice. Meanwhile the other one gets used to being a student (or mother) and having freedoms and possibly milks the situation a little too long.


[ QUOTE ]
He told her he was thinking of taking a creative writing internship...unpaid.


[/ QUOTE ]

Oh man I would have killed him. 7 yrs of graduate school and then he says this?!


I find the topic interesting because I bet we underestimate our expectations of other people and probably don't communicate them well to our significant others. And let's face it. Even though some of the people on these forums are mature and supportive, there's a bunch of us who actually have real, monetary expectations of our partners.


[ QUOTE ]



So, for the "support your partner's happiness" contingent:

1 )Does going from "small income" to "no income" change your opinion?

2) Does the fact that it is the husband, not the wife, make a difference?


[/ QUOTE ]


1. For me, yes. Anyone who works full time at a job even for a small salary gets my respect. Shows they are making the effort and they are doing the daily grind like everyone else. But "no income"? Wow, I just have a hard time respecting that. I still don't know what to think of one of my friends who doesn't work. But that guy in your story above! Man I would just go crazy if my guy ever pulled that on me. Did he ever get a job, the husband you know?


2. I confess I have more gender bias then I want to admit. I think I'm more understanding of the wife taking a low-paying, easy job, or taking months to even find a job, then I am of a husband doing this. I don't know why I expect so much from you guys!