I'm now 35 weeks into my pregnancy and have been staying at home, waiting for my maternity leave to start. My partner, on the other hand, continues to work and usually gets home around 4:30 PM. By that time, I'm just beginning to prepare dinner, usually ready by about 5:30 to 6 PM.

This routine has been quite standard since I stopped going to work. When he arrives, he often mentions he's hungry because he hasn't had much to eat all day, sometimes only a small snack or nothing at all. I've suggested packing lunches for him, often with leftovers, but he constantly refuses, claiming he isn't much of an eater. Before we lived together, he would generally order something for himself, but now he waits for the dinner I prepare.

However, today was different. He came home and asked if I could have dinner ready by the time he walks in the door, so he doesn't have to wait for me to cook. I explained that it's too early to have dinner fully prepared at that time and that he’s the only one who's really hungry then. We also have a 4-year-old, and serving her dinner so early just doesn't work.

He responded by saying that he discussed it with his colleagues at work, who claimed their spouses always have dinner ready when they arrive home. He expressed how frustrated he was about always having to wait sometimes an hour to eat. I told him it wasn’t my obligation to fix his eating schedule throughout the day and that he would need to rely on snacks because I wasn't planning on cooking dinner any earlier.

This made him quite defensive, and he tried to make me feel as though I was in the wrong. But I genuinely believe I haven't done anything wrong. It’s just not feasible to change the entire household routine to accommodate his unusual eating habits, especially when I’m this far along in my pregnancy and also taking care of our young child.

I can't help but imagine how this conversation would play out if we were on a reality show. Viewers would probably be split, with some sympathizing with his hunger after a long day's work, while others might argue that with a baby on the way and a young child already in the home, it’s unreasonable for him to expect meals to revolve solely around his schedule. Reality show audiences love drama, so this conflict could likely turn into a major plot point with people passionately defending both sides.

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