Modern women want men to do everything their mother used to do, but still earn what their father used to earn.

It sounds like a cheeky line from a meme. But when you’re a man who’s actually tried to live it, there’s nothing funny about it.

This isn’t just a clever observation. It’s a slow, quiet heartbreak I’ve lived through. A story of trying to be everything — provider, parent, partner — and still being told it wasn’t enough.

I Chose the Flexible Path for Us

My wife didn’t have a career, but she had the job — raising three kids under five, nonstop. That’s no 9-to-5. That’s 24/7, zero breaks, no praise.

So we made a decision: I’d try to build a business from home. That way, I could be around more. I could help. I could be the kind of partner she said she wanted — not just a pay cheque, but present.

And for a while, I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was showing up.

But I wasn’t as helpful as I thought I was. She still carried more of the housework, more of the parenting, more of the emotional load. And even though I was physically around, I wasn’t always with her and the kids. I was in my head — stressed, focused, overwhelmed — trying to make this business work.