Upon returning home, the husband decided to sit quietly on the couch, watching football, wanting nothing to do with household or parenting responsibilities. He had no intention of putting the crying children to bed. However, everything changed that day when the wife lost patience and left the house, leaving the children with their father. The carefree man’s life took a turn in a second.

Two days later, the husband wrote: “Darling, two days ago, we had an argument. I came home, exhausted and unable to get up; I just wanted to lie down and relax. You were in a bad mood, tired too. The children were arguing, and the youngest was crying while you tried to put them to sleep.

I turned up the TV volume to drown it all out. Would it hurt if you helped a bit, at least invest a little in the children’s upbringing? I responded that I worked all day so you could stay home and play with toys

Our argument escalated; you cried because you were tired. I said terrible things. You ran out of the house, leaving me alone with the children. I had to feed and put them to bed myself. The next day, you didn’t come back. I took a day off to be with the children. I ran around the house all day, couldn’t even find time to shower. I was constantly doing things, from heating milk to tidying the kitchen and dressing the children.

I was confined at home all day, unable to communicate with anyone over 10 years old. I didn’t have time to sit at the table or eat; I had to take the children with me all the time. I was so exhausted I could sleep for 20 hours straight, but I couldn’t because the baby woke up every 2-3 hours. I lived without you for 2 days and 1 night. I understood everything.

I realized how tired you are. I realized being a mother is a constant sacrifice, harder than spending the whole day in the office. I realized how difficult it is when you depend financially on your spouse, unable to earn a living yourself. I realized what it feels like to be confined at home, missing everything happening outside the walls of the house.

I write this not just to say how much I missed you but to let you know you are brave, intelligent, strong—I admire you. The role of a mother, wife, homemaker is the most important, yet it’s often undervalued. Share this letter so people can finally begin to appreciate the mother’s role in our lives.”