My Husband Refused to Buy a New Washing Machine and Told Me to Wash Everything by Hand — Because He Promised His Mom a Vacation Instead

Six months after giving birth, my life was a nonstop cycle of feeding, changing, cooking… and washing. Then the washing machine died.

I told Billy we needed a new one. He barely looked up. “Not this month,” he said. His reason? Paying for his mom’s “babysitting” vacation. I was expected to hand-wash mountains of baby clothes instead.

After days of scrubbing, aching, and watching him lounge on the couch, something inside me snapped. Time for revenge. I packed his lunch with stones and a note: “Men used to hunt and cook for their families. Go on, make fire with these.”

Billy was furious—but for once, he felt my exhaustion. The next evening, he came home dragging a brand-new washing machine. No excuses. No complaints. Just quiet acceptance.

Sometimes, you have to make someone live in your world before they understand it.