How to Cope When Your Wife Turns Into a Real “Couch Potato” at Home

My wife and I have been together for twelve years now not a bad run for a family, is it? Looking back, everything started off perfectly. I had my work, my wife managed the house, and she gave me two wonderful children a daughter and a son.

Not long ago, I got a promotion at work and our household income improved quite a bit. Youd think everything would be smooth sailing and happiness from then on. But trouble cropped up from a place I never would have expected. Out of the blue, my wife became completely absorbed in soap operas. To my surprise, she binges on anything going from quirky detective series and dramatic love stories to those trendy imported drama shows everyone seems to be talking about these days.

On its own, I wouldnt mind if my wife liked to unwind with some TV. But as time went on, she began to spend nearly all her waking hours glued to one series or another. Housework started slipping further and further behind. Meals werent cooked; cleaning went undone. When I brought it up, shed just suggest we order takeaways, if our budget allowed it. Well, thats fine from time to time, but I cant have our children living on fish and chips every night.

On top of that, shes started putting on weight, likely because she spends so much time in front of the telly with constant snacking. I tried to get her interested in something else suggested we join the gym together, or even just go swimming at the local pool but the answer is always the same: Im tired. Tired from what, I always wonder? Once, to embarrass her into action, I even hired a cleaner for the house cleaned top to bottom. But that only made my wife think she could bow out of every chore. She doesnt even always have time for the kids, her beloved soaps consuming every spare moment.

I honestly dont know how to reach her anymore. The lively, engaging woman I once fell in love with has become closed off, her only real concern the fate of fictional characters on the screen. These days, I often have to rush home after work to load the washing machine or help the kids with their homework. My mother-in-law only ever sides with my wife, though once she thought I wasnt good enough for her daughter. So I know I cant expect any help there.

Ive started to think about divorce, though it pains me mainly for the children theyre the ones who suffer most in all this. I feel truly lost, and cant see a clear way forward. If theres one thing this has taught me, its that you have to communicate and never take each other for granted or you might wake up one morning and find the person next to you has become a stranger.