Mom stunned when a fellow parent said he was 'giving it a try' with his kids alone while wife was busy. His hunting season comment made it worse.
Moms and dads may choose to handle responsibilities based on their family dynamics and unique situations. Yet, it doesn’t change the fact that both are individually responsible for their child at the end of the day. A Reddit user who goes by u/DidiReadThatRite shared a post on June 16, 2026, recalling a conversation they overheard between a dad and a stranger. The former had come to a restaurant with his three kids and mentioned how he was “giving it a try” to be out with them by himself. The fellow parent chuckled, assuming it to be lighthearted humor, until his next statement left her stunned.
The dad struck up a casual conversation with another mom at the restaurant. That’s when he mentioned that he was supposed to come with his wife, but since her work schedule changed at the last minute, he “decided to give it a try and take them out” by himself. “Give it a try, huh?” the woman said, confused, but still trying to maintain her composure. She laughed it off, expecting the interaction to end there. However, a little further into the exchange, the man noted how his partner “hated” when he left her alone with the kids for two months due to hunting season. He proudly added that he was unreachable because he was so focused on his hobby.
The dad appeared to have three young children. For him, taking them out for a few hours by himself seemed unpredictable, making it easy to imagine how overwhelming it must have been for his wife to manage them alone for two months. The fellow parent who heard his words was shocked. She later remarked to her friend, “Well, of course, his wife hates it when he's gone hunting. He just gave it a try for one lunch, but thinks she has magical powers to handle kids for more than one day in a row.” His simple statements, which were likely meant as light humor or casual remarks, exposed a deeper concern about parenting.
According to Psychology Today, Maya Kaye, a neuroscience-informed psychotherapist, noted how many parents are overwhelmed with the invisible load of handling so much alone despite having a partner to share responsibilities with. Research from the University of Bath pointed out that moms take on 71% of the mental load when it comes to the household and family. This can lead to serious consequences, including stress and burnout, as well as disparities in relationships and other aspects of family life. The mom in this situation may have been experiencing this exhaustion as well.
Commenters couldn’t help but point out how challenging it must have been for the mom to handle so much by herself without even being acknowledged for it. u/ChocolateTeases wrote, “If taking the kids to lunch by yourself is something you have to give a try, then your wife has probably been carrying way more of the parenting load than you realize.” u/Flipper_Lou added, “Sorry for the single mom who lives with him.” u/mhopps2 added, “Two months of hunting?! Wife is probably glad to have her fourth child gone for two months.”
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