{"id":1143,"date":"2024-11-25T01:25:26","date_gmt":"2024-11-25T01:25:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/?p=1143"},"modified":"2024-11-25T01:25:32","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T01:25:32","slug":"my-husband-refuses-to-help-with-our-crying-baby-at-night-puts-on-headphones-listens-to-calming-music-i-taught-him-a-lesson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/archives\/1143","title":{"rendered":"My Husband Refuses to Help with Our Crying Baby at Night, Puts on Headphones &amp; Listens to Calming Music \u2013 I Taught Him a Lesson"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class='\"entry-header\"'>\n<p>Scarlett is at her wit\u2019s end, balancing a demanding career and a teething baby while her husband, Dave, sleeps peacefully with noise-canceling headphones. When he dismisses her pleas for help, Scarlett hatches a cunning plan to make him experience her sleepless nights.\n</p><div class='\"entry-content\"'>\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image' size-full><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"wp-image-1189\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/newtbn.xyz%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2024%5C/10%5C/image-378.png%5C%22" sizes='\"auto,' srcset='\"https:\/\/newtbn.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-378.png' https: alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"512\"'>\n<p>I need to vent about something.\n</p><p>My name\u2019s Scarlett, and I\u2019ve been married to Dave for 25 years. We\u2019ve got three kids: a 12-year-old soccer fanatic, an 8-year-old aspiring astronaut, and our newest addition, Lily, who\u2019s six months old.\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/90aa85cea2119a1163c6e97e00a94148795ae4f014600e7e53335e0f073bdfac.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"A' woman with two of her kids source: pexels>\n<p>A woman with two of her kids\n</p><p>Now, don\u2019t get me wrong, I love my kids to bits, but balancing a demanding career and raising these little humans is no joke.\n</p><p>Dave and I used to be this power couple. But lately, he\u2019s been avoiding his share of nighttime baby duty.\n</p><p>Picture this: I\u2019m pacing the room with a screaming, teething baby at 2 a.m., while he\u2019s blissfully asleep, noise-canceling headphones on, listening to some darn calming ocean waves or whatever. It\u2019s infuriating!\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/d6114dacbe353c93560ea32392468cc477cdb00ed88df55c4fa8ad24b9c5e30f.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"A' woman soothing a crying baby source: pexels>\n<p>A woman soothing a crying baby\n</p><p>So, here\u2019s the setup. It was one of those nights. Lily was teething and inconsolable. I\u2019d tried everything\u2014rocking, feeding, singing lullabies. Nothing worked. Exhausted and at my wits\u2019 end, I shook Dave awake.\n</p><p>\u201cDave, I need help. Lily\u2019s been crying for hours,\u201d I pleaded, my voice barely masking my frustration.\n</p><p>He groaned and pulled off his headphones. \u201cScarlett, I have to be up early. My job is demanding. Can\u2019t you handle it?\u201d\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/af15aaa3a3015e81c549b5ab2834bf21bef29d5cb2b359f7095034cb3dddb981.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"A' man sleeping source: pexels>\n<p>A man sleeping\n</p><p>\u201cSeriously, Dave?\u201d I snapped, feeling the hot sting of tears in my eyes. \u201cI\u2019ve been handling it all night. I need some support here.\u201d\n</p><p>He rolled his eyes and turned away. \u201cI need my sleep. I can\u2019t function at work if I\u2019m exhausted.\u201d\n</p><p>That was it. The tipping point. His words stung more than they should have. I felt like I was drowning, and he was just floating by, oblivious. Something had to change. I couldn\u2019t keep feeling this undervalued and alone.\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/b2f6aec40d44198762ed8b81ce878447558964fe5fab238790839efd0f2810c2.png%5C%22" alt='\"A' woman with a determined look in her eye source: midjourney>\n<p>A woman with a determined look in her eye\n</p><p>That\u2019s when I hatched my plan.\n</p><p>I\u2019m not proud of it, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I decided to modify his precious headphones, planting a hidden speaker controlled by my phone. Yeah, it was sneaky, but I was desperate for him to understand my struggle.\n</p><p>The first night of my plan, I felt a mix of guilt and anticipation. I tucked Lily into her crib and waited for Dave to fall asleep. When Lily woke up crying, I put my plan into action.\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/064d3f164bbba30131a393d428113bfc6fb7b1277e8680b82141303f315bea5f.png%5C%22" alt='\"A' mother holding a crying baby while using her phone source: midjourney>\n<p>A mother holding a crying baby while using her phone\n</p><div class='\"code-block' code-block-10>\n<p>I activated the speaker. The sound of a baby crying filled his headphones. He shot up, confused and irritated.\n</p><p>\u201cScarlett, did you hear that?\u201d he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.\n</p><p>\u201cHear what?\u201d I replied, feigning ignorance.\n</p><p>He shook his head and stumbled over to Lily\u2019s crib.\n</p><div class='\"code-block' code-block-10>\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/888eff8d696d9877ac8aca905c0ed8b371e667d0b46d94d6c08d4a103fe5bdd2.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"Crying' baby in a crib source: pexels>\n<p>Crying baby in a crib\n</p><p>I watched, half-amused, half-guilty, as he tried to soothe her. He was clueless but at least he was trying.\n</p><p>The next few nights, I got creative. I played the sound of a mosquito buzzing, a door creaking, even his boss\u2019s voice droning on about quarterly reports.\n</p><p>Dave\u2019s frustration grew. He was losing sleep, and it started to show in his work performance. He was irritable and snappy, but he still didn\u2019t connect the dots.\n</p><div class='\"code-block' code-block-10>\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/3da7c7dc6ca144ca62da984d775c8d9fbe8505fd1e975c574fd7cc04a549524a.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"A' man resting his head on arms source: pexels>\n<p>A man resting his head on his arms\n</p><p>One particularly rough night, after I played the sound of a fire alarm, Dave sat up, wide-eyed and frantic.\n</p><p>\u201cWhat is going on?!\u201d he exclaimed, looking around the room in bewilderment.\n</p><p>\u201cDave, relax,\u201d I said, hiding my smirk. \u201cIt\u2019s just Lily. Maybe you should check on her?\u201d\n</p><div class='\"code-block' code-block-10>\n<p>He glared at me but reluctantly got out of bed. As he picked Lily up, I could see the bags under his eyes, the weariness starting to mirror my own.\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/a1af4d9b1b479acbe23ebb141244edb961603fa3b8af306c0cb6d639d3bc8af7.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"A' sleepy man waking up source: pexels>\n<p>A sleepy man waking up\n</p><p>It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.\n</p><p>On the fourth night of my scheme, I played a sound clip of his boss, Mr. Thompson, sternly lecturing about missed deadlines. Dave bolted upright, looking genuinely terrified.\n</p><div class='\"code-block' code-block-10>\n<p>\u201cWhat the hell, Scarlett? Did you hear that? It sounded like Mr. Thompson!\u201d He was sweating, and for the first time, I saw a crack in his composed exterior.\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/3d673a6a512806193136a606fc9ac32544a9f3392f1755bff82c6752d8e05c93.png%5C%22" alt='\"A' man waking up in terror source: midjourney>\n<p>A man waking up in terror\n</p><p>\u201cDave, I think you\u2019re just stressed,\u201d I said, keeping my voice calm. \u201cMaybe you should help with Lily more often. It might help you sleep better.\u201d\n</p><p>He stared at me, and I could see the wheels turning in his head.\n</p><p>\u201cYeah, maybe,\u201d he muttered, but the doubt was there.\n</p><p>By the end of the week, Dave was a wreck.\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/97b27359b18ec8f79f28654a0426d2fee0fe6f4a410c3454791613c5c8019a20.png%5C%22" alt='\"An' exhausted man source: midjourney>\n<p>An exhausted man\n</p><p>He was snapping at the kids, his patience worn thin.\n</p><div class='\"code-block' code-block-10>\n<p>\u201cScarlett, I don\u2019t know what\u2019s going on, but I can\u2019t take this anymore. I\u2019m hearing things, and I\u2019m exhausted.\u201d\n</p><p>I bit my lip, feeling a mix of guilt and satisfaction.\n</p><p>\u201cDave, we need to talk,\u201d I said, my voice steady but filled with the weight of the past few nights.\n</p><p>He looked at me, his eyes bloodshot and weary. \u201cWhat is it? Just tell me.\u201d\n</p><div class='\"code-block' code-block-10>\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/5b5af5025b270f25e62b50dc4dc1c08aa4b8625458a055217209a0d42fa772b8.png%5C%22" alt='\"A' couple speaking in their bedroom at night source: midjourney>\n<p>A couple speaking in their bedroom at night\n</p><p>\u201cSit down,\u201d I urged, gesturing to the couch.\n</p><p>He slumped into the seat, rubbing his temples. I took a deep breath, ready to lay it all out.\n</p><p>\u201cDave, those sounds you\u2019ve been hearing? The baby crying, the mosquito, the fire alarm\u2026they weren\u2019t real. I\u2019ve been playing them through your headphones,\u201d I confessed, my heart pounding.\n</p><div class='\"code-block' code-block-10>\n<p>His eyes widened in disbelief, and then they narrowed in anger.\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/35e1dac484f614055c5ed0d80d3c246daa627262dc8d35c5f798e38ec80df129.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"An' angry man source: pexels>\n<p>An angry man\n</p><p>\u201cYou did this? Why the hell would you do that?\u201d\n</p><p>\u201cBecause I\u2019m drowning here!\u201d I shot back, my voice breaking. \u201cEvery night, I\u2019m up with Lily, trying to soothe her, while you sleep through it all. I feel so alone, Dave. I needed you to understand what it\u2019s like for me.\u201d\n</p><div class='\"code-block' code-block-10>\n<p>He stood up, his hands clenched into fists. \u201cSo you decided to torture me? What kind of twisted logic is that, Scarlett?\u201d\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/ff9c425f9e62bdbe88c4487266ca5573b5c526a4f5a4ea29722a9af81bc4447a.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"A' couple having a heated discussion source: pexels>\n<p>A couple having a heated discussion\n</p><p>Tears spilled down my cheeks. \u201cI didn\u2019t know what else to do. I\u2019m exhausted, too. I needed you to see how hard this is for me. I needed you to be my partner, not just someone who checks out when things get tough.\u201d\n</p><p>For a moment, he just stared at me, his face a mix of anger and confusion. Then, slowly, the anger faded, replaced by something softer.\n</p><div class='\"code-block' code-block-10>\n<p>\u201cScarlett, I\u2019m sorry. I\u2019ve been so caught up in my own world. I didn\u2019t realize how much you were struggling.\u201d\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/c36c8eb0492246a4f00a943a3c4d2d595d19290f35e42229ef4296914b9ced8a.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"A' thoughtful man source: pexels>\n<p>A thoughtful man\n</p><p>I nodded, wiping my tears. \u201cI\u2019m not saying it was the right thing to do, but I was desperate. I need you, Dave. I need us to be a team.\u201d\n</p><p>He sighed, running a hand through his hair. \u201cI get it now. I\u2019ve been selfish. I\u2019m sorry.\u201d\n</p><div class='\"code-block' code-block-10>\n<p>That night, for the first time in what felt like forever, Dave stayed up with me willingly. He rocked Lily, changed her diaper, and even managed to make her giggle.\n</p><p>It was like a weight lifted off my shoulders. I wasn\u2019t alone anymore.\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/43e4cc121b8d7556512b90d3624a0477cc8757d42b3b4fb3ce3ed927258022cc.png%5C%22" alt='\"A' man holding his daughter midjourney>\n<p>A man holding his daughter\n</p><p>In the days that followed, Dave became more involved. He started taking turns with nighttime baby care. We shared late-night feeds, whispered conversations, and moments of quiet bonding.\n</p><div class='\"code-block' code-block-10>\n<p>Our relationship began to heal and strengthen.\n</p><p>One night, as we lay in bed, both exhausted yet content, I whispered, \u201cThank you, Dave.\u201d\n</p><p>He smiled and held me close. \u201cNo, Scarlett. Thank you for waking me up.\u201d\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/793174295b5db3944e2371cff485d0dd60d40a9c114f1b98ecebe655fb35d270.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"A' couple in bed source: pexels>\n<p>A couple in bed\n</p><p>The new dynamics in our household were noticeable. Dave was more patient with the kids, and they responded to his increased involvement with joy. Our evenings were filled with laughter and shared responsibilities, a stark contrast to the isolation I\u2019d felt before.\n</p><p>During one of those late-night feeds, as we sat in the dim light of Lily\u2019s nursery, Dave looked over at me.\n</p><p>\u201cI\u2019ve been thinking a lot about what you said,\u201d he began. \u201cAbout partnership. I want to make sure I\u2019m here for you, for us. I\u2019ve been neglecting my share of the load, and I\u2019m sorry.\u201d\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/0a38beed34ac62fd74ea25d7803e549fb80e7a301319da3b30f3fde251289465.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"A' couple : source: pexels>\n<p>A couple\n</p><p>I reached out, squeezing his hand. \u201cI appreciate that, Dave. It means a lot. It\u2019s about being there for each other, even when it\u2019s tough.\u201d\n</p><p>He nodded, a determined look in his eyes. \u201cI promise to maintain a balanced share of parenting duties from now on. You won\u2019t have to do this alone.\u201d\n</p><p>Our bond grew stronger with each passing day. We found a rhythm, a balance that worked for us. The late nights didn\u2019t seem as daunting with Dave by my side, and the burdens we carried felt lighter when shared.\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/19bffaa90395007fff794e4b99513ad3ef7ab769d2068a9f19fc01b3c692df35.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"A' happy couple source: pexels>\n<p>A happy couple\n</p><p>One peaceful night, after a particularly calm evening with Lily finally asleep, we crawled into bed, both of us utterly exhausted. Dave pulled me close, his arm wrapped around me.\n</p><p>\u201cScarlett,\u201d he whispered, his voice filled with gratitude, \u201cthank you.\u201d\n</p><p>I smiled, feeling a sense of contentment wash over me. \u201cThank you, Dave,\u201d I whispered back. \u201cFor being my partner.\u201d\n<figure class='\"wp-block-image\"'><img decoding='\"async\"' src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/cdn.amomama.com%5C/f32899a2489c296616118676790cc6554418754386d8f525ce97eddac2689965.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"A' happy couple in bed source: pexels>\n<p>A happy couple in bed\n</p><p>As we drifted off to sleep, I felt a deep sense of peace. We were in this together, truly together, and that made all the difference.\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"</p><p>Scarlett is at her wit\u2019s end, balancing a demanding career and a teething baby while her husband, Dave, sleeps peacefully with noise-canceling headphones. When he dismisses her pleas for help, Scarlett hatches a cunning plan to make him experience her sleepless nights. I need to vent about something. My name\u2019s Scarlett, and I\u2019ve been married [&hellip;]\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1144,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1143"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1143\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1145,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1143\/revisions\/1145"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1144"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}</p></figure></p></figure></p></figure></p></figure></p></div></figure></p></div></figure></p></div></figure></p></div></figure></p></div></figure></div></div></figure></p></figure></p></div></figure></p></div></figure></div></figure></div></div></figure></p></figure></p></figure></p></figure></p></figure></p></figure></div></header>