Man and woman arguing (stock image).Photo:iStockphoto/Getty
iStockphoto/Getty
The husband wrote that what started as a “fun” and “harmless” way for his wife to unwind during downtime before bed has turned into a concerning problem as “recently she has missed crucial appointments and chores because of this game.”
“I tried to be understanding and gently remind her to do her tasks, but she would always say she ‘forgot’ or ‘got distracted,’ " he explained.
The situation came to a head when the wife completely forgot to pick up their 9-year-old son from his basketball practice, sparking an argument between the couple. The husband said he was surprised to return home at 7 p.m. one night to find that his son was “nowhere to be found,” one hour after his practice had ended.
A person plays a game on the Roblox app (stock image).Marijan Murat/picture alliance via Getty
Marijan Murat/picture alliance via Getty
He discovered his wife in their bedroom, glued to her iPad and “playing the game as always.” When the husband asked where their son was, “her eyes grew wide” as she seemingly realized she had missed the 6 p.m. pickup.
After the man raced over to their son’s practice, the basketball coach told him he had been repeatedly calling and texting his wife, who is the boy’s emergency contact, and “she didn’t even notice.”
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When the man returned home, he “immediately blew up” at his wife. “How could she be so addicted to a kids' game that she completely forgot our son?” he wondered in his post.
“She needs therapy if she is so addicted to a silly kids' game with avatars that she is forgetting her own real child. This is a scary and serious event for your kid!!” one person wrote. “And okay, maybe losing track of time but missing the calls and texts too? That’s insane!”
“That’s a serious dereliction of parental duty and she’s clearly addicted to the game. Imagine if she forgot to pick him up because she was drunk — there wouldn’t even be an argument,” a second commenter pointed out. “And in practical effect, this was just as bad.”
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Others advised the man that it’s time to sit his wife down and have a serious conversation about her gaming habits. They suggested he compel her to “go cold turkey” and delete the app or at least agree to “controls restricting access to the game.” If she won’t make changes for the sake of their marriage and family, “she may need a professional’s help,” someone noted.
“Tell your wife that it’s a hard boundary you’re setting in your marriage. If she can’t comply, I recommend therapy and exploring next steps. If it’s impacting your family and marriage, she needs to feel consequences,” another Redditor commented.
Another person wrote: “She needs to address this now, this is her rock bottom.”
source: people.com