I get to know a lot of families through my kids friends.
I'm currently witnessing two domestic train wrecks in progress. I can't even get my head around them.
The husbands are completely checked out, working only off and on. The mothers carry most of the financial and child care load, almost as if they were a single parent.
In both cases, it's become recently known that the husbands are racking up debt on the sly. They bring home little, and actually are a drain on finances.
As far as I can tell, there are neither mistresses, or substance abuse problems involved - Just sort of an all consuming laziness. In one case, the father is quite engaged with the children, and in the other, the father isn't.
The first father is actively hen-pecked by a pissed off wife.. but AFAICT, she was a pretty decent wife until he checked out. The husband is a pretty decent guy otherwise.
Both cases are heading to divorce in the near-term, I think. It just seems so tragic.
It's just weird. Anyone seen dudes just check out like this?
What gives?