Carolyn Hax: Partner aggravated that husband makes use of ‘targets’ time to chill out

I’ve spent my days off the best way I mentioned I might, however my husband often makes use of his watching TV or taking part in video video games, then asserting he’s too drained to do the opposite issues he meant.
After all, it’s totally his enterprise. He’s a superb husband and father, our payments are getting paid, and I’ve no cause (or entitlement) to inform him easy methods to spend his leisure time. However I do fear that is figuring out in a approach that’s unfair; in just a few weeks, I’ll have completed my class and gotten my common exercises in, however he won’t have executed the issues he meant to do. Is it my place to attempt to push him, and even remind him of what he mentioned his targets have been again at first?
“Off”: Unfair how? I don’t perceive.
You’ll come out of your days off with one thing to indicate for them, sure, and technically he received’t, however: 1. Relaxation issues. 2. It’s his free time to make use of or misuse as he sees match.
So, no, it’s not your home to “attempt to push him.”
If he’s down and complaining he wasted the time, then you’ll be able to actually ask whether or not he needs your enter or simply an ear.
However reminding him of “what he mentioned his targets have been” might be not your finest angle, even when he does welcome your ideas. He is aware of, proper? In all probability too properly? The difficulty is the problem in changing targets to motion in an atmosphere the place simply the fundamentals of working or learning plus younger children (plus marriage/partnership or solo parenting, each have their stressors) are taxing folks to their limits; we’ve mass societal denial relating to how a lot we’re asking of oldsters. And also you’re judging him by your targets and what you’re capable of do underneath these circumstances.
Plus every of you is doing 24 weekly hours of solo care, which is quite a bit. Are the children even awake in your presence for 48 hours every week?
However anyway … I counsel a distinct angle: that perhaps volunteering can wait. Or, 24 hours are too many. Or, if he actually needs to make use of the time higher, that it’s price rethinking what “higher” seems to be like: taking a stroll exterior, for instance, vs. hitting the sofa. That’s a decrease bar to clear than “decide to volunteer group for additional profession factors.” Respect the exhaustion; promote forgiveness.
Once more, that is IF he asks in your enter — and even then, I urge you to steer with questions towards the objective of serving to him vs. leaping in to assist. As a result of he is aware of what he’s up towards higher than you do, and getting his ideas first will assist you assist him.
If he doesn’t invite you to weigh in? Then don’t choose, and let him sport. And deal with the day-off idea as broader than simply self-improvement and extra everlasting than little-kid-rearing reduction. Deal with it (and tweak it) as a very good idea normally that will help you each maintain yourselves complete underneath the pressures of day by day life.