“Cooking is Not a Man’s Job!”: My Mother-in-Law Saw My Husband Making Breakfast for Me

We’ve been married for about 15 years now, and my husband and I often find ourselves reminiscing about the past. One particular memory that stands out is from 10 years ago when his mother came to visit us. Each of her visits always brought a new story, and this one was no different. My mother-in-law is a kind woman, but she has her quirks, and this visit was no exception.

My mother-in-law used to visit us frequently, and we always looked forward to her visits. We were both working constantly, so having her around was a nice change of pace. She would help out around the house, and we enjoyed her company. However, there was one particular morning that stands out in my memory.

It was a Saturday morning, and my husband had decided to make breakfast for me. He knew I had been working late all week and wanted to do something nice for me. As he was in the kitchen, whipping up some pancakes and bacon, his mother walked in.

The look on her face was one of pure shock. “What are you doing?” she asked my husband, her voice filled with disbelief.

“I’m making breakfast for Sarah,” he replied, not thinking much of it.

“Cooking is not a man’s job!” she exclaimed. “You should be resting, not slaving away in the kitchen.”

I could see the frustration on my husband’s face. He had always been supportive and believed in sharing household responsibilities equally. He tried to explain this to his mother, but she was having none of it.

“This is not how I raised you,” she continued. “A man should be out working, not cooking breakfast.”

I decided to step in at this point. “Mom, we both work hard, and we believe in sharing the responsibilities at home,” I said gently. “It’s important for us to support each other.”

But my words fell on deaf ears. She was adamant that cooking was a woman’s job and that my husband should not be doing it. The rest of her visit was filled with tension, and it was clear that she disapproved of our way of life.

After she left, my husband and I had a long conversation about it. We both agreed that we needed to stand our ground and continue to support each other, regardless of what others thought. However, the incident left a lasting impact on our relationship with his mother.

Over the years, her visits became less frequent, and there was always an underlying tension whenever she did come over. We tried to bridge the gap, but it was clear that our differing views on gender roles were a significant barrier.

Looking back, I wish things had turned out differently. I wish we could have found a way to make her understand our perspective. But sometimes, people are set in their ways, and there’s only so much you can do.

In the end, we continued to live our lives the way we believed was right for us. We supported each other through thick and thin, and that’s what mattered most. But the memory of that morning still lingers, a reminder of the challenges we faced and the strength of our partnership.