Kate Hackett
Because that’s exactly what u/Quirky-Regret-9031 did.
We have a story today from Reddit’s AITA sub asking if OP is wrong “for giving up on working from home because my wife kept interrupting my meetings.” They give a pretty detailed account of the situation, so let’s dive right in.
OP explains that they work in the medical field, so this WFH situation deals with medical confidentiality — they need a private space.
I work in the medical field. I often discuss confidential information with clients and doctors. I am not a doctor myself.
In July of this year I finally had an opportunity to for employment that would give me the option of working from home.
OP recently got a chance to work from home, which would be great for their family: OP could help out more and be with their daughter more.
I sat down with my wife and explained that this was a good thing for us. I would be home three more days every week. I would still be going into the office on Tuesday and Thursday. But the other days I could skip out on the commute. I could help with the my daughter in the morning and throughout the day. I could help with supper. I could see my 4 year old daughter more.
It also freed up their car a bit.
Not all the time of course. I was still going to be working. But our car would be home three extra days. My wife could take our car and drop off our daughter with our parents or a sitter if she needed.
OP and his wife talked to their daughter to explain how this would work and while the daughter took to the new arrangement, OP’s wife did not.
We say and talked to my daughter and explained that even though I was home I could not spend all my time with her. I explained that if the door was closed she needed to knock quietly and ask permission to come in. And to accept it if the answer was no.
My daughter understood. My wife did not. She was constantly coming into the office when I was in meetings. I had to excuse myself to get her out of the room. More than once I saw my daughter trying to keep her out of my room. One time my wife was trying to carry my daughter into the room and my kid was holding onto the door jamb so she didn’t get in trouble for coming in when the door was closed.
OP’s wife was in and out of the office during meetings, bringing the daughter in, and otherwise being intrusive, so OP put a lock on the door. It didn’t go over well, but it worked fine.
I finally put a lock on the door. She said she didn’t like being locked out of a room in her house. I explained that the door being closed and a sign saying that I was in a meeting didn’t stop her. She finally got the point. Until this thanksgiving.
Until Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving Eve, OP’s wife needed OP and knocked on the door until OP answered, while OP was in a meeting.
I was working on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and she needed to go buy something for our meal the next day. And for some reason could not take our daughter with her. Or drop her off with either set of grandparents. Or a drop in day care where we have a spot.
She instead decided to shake my locked door and knock until I answered. I muted my meeting opened the door and told her to leave me alone until the end of the day. She left and texted that my daughter was watching tv in the other room.
OP had had enough; he is returning to work at the office, despite hating the time away from his family.
I talked to my boss and I went back to work at my workplace starting last week.
I hate being away from my daughter and my wife. My wife hates being limited to using Uber on the days I’m not home. Or depending on our parents.
The wife is upset for the change of plans, OP is upset that she didn’t get the work from home situation.
Now she is mad at me for going back to the office. I told her that it’s her fault for not understanding that I was WORKING from home. Not just playing games in my home office.
I feel like an asshole and she says I am. But I am the sole breadwinner for our family. If I got laid off because of her we would be in financial hardship.
Let’s check out what Reddit thought!
