My husband grew up in a traditional family with a stay-at-home mom and a sole-provider dad, while I was raised to value financial independence. He’s worked hard to adapt, sharing chores and parenting duties, but he’s overly influenced by his family’s opinions. Currently, his parents are staying with us for two weeks. We usually split tasks: I handle breakfast, he cooks dinner, and we manage cleaning since our cleaner is on holiday. My in-laws disapprove of my career and our shared responsibilities, believing I should prioritize being a wife and mother.

Yesterday, exhausted from work, I came home expecting dinner at 7:00, but nothing was prepared. My husband avoided eye contact as his mother insisted I should cook to fulfill my “wifely duties.” I ordered takeaway instead, serving myself and the kids. During dinner, my mother-in-law criticized me, and my husband agreed, suggesting I act “more like a proper woman” and respect tradition. Frustrated, I retorted that his $35,000 salary couldn’t support our family of five, and his sexism was outdated. He left the table, visibly hurt. I regret snapping in front of the kids, but his failure to support me against his parents’ criticism pushed me to my limit.