When my husband, Jake, handed me a schedule to supposedly help me “become a better wife,” I was speechless. But instead of reacting, I decided to go along with his plan — and teach him a lesson he'd never forget.
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A man on an armchair Source: Pexels |
In our marriage, I've always been the steady one, while Jake, bless his heart, gets easily swept up in new ideas. He's been through phases of various hobbies and life-changing YouTube “hacks.” But things were fine until Jake started spending time with a guy from work, Steve — a loud, single know-it-all who loved giving relationship advice to his married colleagues, including Jake. Soon, Jake began parroting Steve's ideas about what a “good wife” should do.
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A man looking to the side Source: Pexels |
First, it was the little things: "Steve says it's best if the wife handles all the household chores," or "Steve thinks women should always look their best for their husbands." I dismissed these with sarcasm, but it was clear Jake was starting to buy into this nonsense.
Then came The List .
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A serious woman Source: Pexels |
One night, Jake sat me down and slid a neatly typed schedule across the table titled, “Lisa's Weekly Routine for Becoming a Better Wife.” My jaw dropped. The schedule detailed my entire week, supposedly to "help" me. According to Jake — and, of course, Steve — I was to wake up at 5 am daily, make him breakfast, hit the gym, do household chores, work my job, cook a gourmet dinner, and even make snacks for him and his friends. The whole thing was so insulting, I almost lost it right there.
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A man | Source: Pexels |
Instead, I kept my cool and smiled. “Sure, babe. I'll start tomorrow," I said sweetly, already planning my response.
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A woman glancing down Source: Pexels |
The next day, I got to work. If Jake wanted a “perfect wife,” then he'd see just how costly his perfection would be. I drafted a new list: “Jake's Plan for Becoming the Best Husband Ever.” It included a $1,200 budget for my personal trainer (to stay “in shape”), a $700 grocery allowance for organic ingredients, and even a $75,000 salary to cover my job, since I'd need to quit to meet his ridiculous demands. For good measure, I added a $50,000 “man cave” fund, so he and his friends could hang out without disrupting my schedule.
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A woman working at a table Source: Pexels |
When Jake got home, he spotted the list. "What's this?" he asked, grinning as he picked it up. As he read through, the grin faded. “$1,200 for a trainer? $700 for groceries? And… wait, $75,000 a year?! Are you quitting your job?”
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A woman typing on a laptop Source: Pexels |
I shrugged. "How else am I supposed to stick to your plan?" I asked innocently.
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A woman laughing hard Source: Pexels |
Jake was speechless, finally grasping the absurdity of his demands. “I… I didn't mean…” he stammered. I crossed my arms and replied, “Marriage isn't about fixing someone with a checklist. It's about respect. And if you ever try to 'improve' me like this again, I'll make sure the costs go way beyond a list on paper.”
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A dumbfounded man | Source: Pexels |
Jake learned his lesson that day — no lists required.
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