History PlayingWith / ParentingTheHusband

** Despite being a grown woman, Alice acts like [[BrattyTeenageDaughter a moody hormonal teenage]] who expects Bob to drop everything for her on a whim.

** A DecemberDecemberRomance story about Bob, who suffers from dementia reverting to childlike behaviors, and his wife, Alice, has to be his daily caregiver despite her several health issues.

* '''Inverted''': Despite being a grown woman, Alice acts like [[BrattyTeenageDaughter a moody hormonal teenage]] who expects Bob to drop everything for her on a whim.

* '''Exaggerated''': Alice waits on Bob hand and foot, and the only difference between her relationship with her children and her relationship with Bob is that the latter involves occasional sex.

* '''Inverted''': Bob treats Alice like his daughter, except with sex.

* '''Double Subverted''':
** Bob decides he doesn't want this kind of sandwich and whines until Alice makes a new one for him.

** Bob acts childish but when it counts, he acts quite mature. The second he can though, he reverts back to actings like a manchild.

* '''Deconstructed''': May lead to (or be part of) power dynamics, or even a SecretTestOfCharacter. Alice could become stressed, and Bob and the kids might see (or never stop believing) that [[StayInTheKitchen women are just household servants]].

** Alternatively, it's a SecretTestOfCharacter from Bob, or Alice is in an unhappy marriage/relationship with a {{Manchild}} (or both).

%%* '''Implied''': ???

** [[ValuesDissonance In the culture and/or time period]] in which AliceAndBob live, it is ''expected'' that [[StayInTheKitchen a woman will wait on her husband hand-and-foot]]. (Usually at least a partial subversion in this case, because ''she'' is expected to be the dutiful and obedient one.)

* '''Invoked''': Alice marries Bob, who is blatantly a {{Manchild}}.

* '''Averted''':
** AliceAndBob are equally responsible (or irresponsible) around the house.
** AliceAndBob are not living together. They may not even be married.

** Alternatively, Bob breaks the relationship off because he feels like he's being treated like a child and hates that Alice patronizes him and doesn't trust him like any other adult.

* '''Downplayed''': Bob makes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches like they were made by a 5 year old.

** Bob pulls his weight around the house.

** But then comes down with the flu and expects Alice to drop everything and take care of him.

* '''Played For Laughs''': The typical BumblingDad with a CloserToEarth wife.

* '''Played For Bow-Chicka-Wow-Wow''': [[RuleThirtyFour Age-play]]; for example, Bob wears an adult diaper and acts like a baby, and Alice cares for him, followed by sexual favors.

* '''Defied''': Alice breaks up with Bob during the dating stage (or divorces him) when she sees that he is just too childish to qualify as a good husband, and that a) he isn't likely to change anytime soon and b) ''she'' sure as hell can't change him.

---> '''Alice:''' Oh my god, I put the wrong person in the crib.

** Alice wakes up from a good night's rest, seeing her baby right beside her. Suddenly, her eyes widen in shock:
--> '''Alice:''' Oh my god, I put the wrong person in the crib.

* '''Played For Bow-Chicka-Wow-Wow''': [[RuleThirtyFour Age-play]]; for example, Bob wears an adult diaper and acts like a baby, and Alice cares for him, followed by sexual favors. (As always, this can be FetishFuel for some and Distilled High-Octane {{Squick}} for others.)

* '''Downplayed''': Bob makes peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches like they were made by a 5 year old.

* '''Lampshaded''': ???

* '''Exploited''': ???

** Bob is a HenpeckedHusband; by keeping him dependent on and obedient to her, Alice asserts her dominance over him. This may also involve AbuseIsOkayWhenItIsFemaleOnMale

** AliceAndBob are equally responsible around the house.

* '''Subverted''': Bob pulls his weight around the house.

* '''Double Subverted''': But then comes down with the flu and expects Alice to drop everything and take care of him.

** [[ValuesDissonance In the culture and/or time period]] in which AliceAndBob live, it is ''expected'' that a woman will wait on her husband hand-and-foot. (Usually at least a partial subversion in this case, because ''she'' is expected to be the dutiful and obedient one.)

** In the culture and/or time period in which AliceAndBob live, it is ''expected'' that a woman will wait on her husband hand-and-foot. (Usually at least a partial subversion in this case, because ''she'' is expected to be the dutiful and obedient one.)

** Bob's brilliant, but absent minded professor. Without Alice, he might make peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches without remembering to use peanut butter and jelly.

* '''Zig Zagged''': Bob acts childish but when it counts, he acts quite mature. The second he can though, he reverts back to actings like a manchild.
** Bob and Alice alternatively parent each other.

* '''Downplayed''': ???

* '''Zig Zagged''': ???

* '''Basic Trope''': A marital relationship in which the wife takes care of her husband as though he were a child.
* '''Played Straight''': Alice makes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, with the crusts cut off, for her two school-age children and her husband Bob to take to school and work.

* '''Justified''': Alice wants to make Bob happy.

* '''Deconstructed''': May lead to (or be part of) power dynamics, or even a SecretTestOfCharacter. Alice could become stressed, and Bob and the kids might see (or never stop believing) that [[StayInTheKitchen women are just household servants]].
* '''Reconstructed''': AliceAndBob both pull their weight around the house. Alice learns to say no sometimes, and Bob takes responsibility. The relationship is running smoother, and Alice doesn't feel resentful or "used" or stressed, or taken advantage of. And Bob has a sense of purpose and more self-respect.
* '''Parodied''': Alice gets up to tend to her crying baby, and then hears Bob crying in the living room because he dropped the remote.

* '''Lampshaded''':
* '''Averted''': AliceAndBob are equally responsible around the house.
** AliceAndBob are not living together. They may not even be married.
* '''Enforced''': CloserToEarth

* '''Played For Drama''': Bob is a HenpeckedHusband; by keeping him dependent on and obedient to her, Alice asserts her dominance over him. This may also involve AbuseIsOkayWhenItIsFemaleOnMale

* '''Played For Bow-Chicka-Wow-Wow''': [[RuleThirtyFour Age-play]]; for example, Bob wears an adult diaper and acts like a baby, and Alice cares for him, followed by sexual favors. (As always, this can be FetishFuel for some and {{Squick}} for others.)

* '''Invoked''': Alice marries Bob, who is blatantly a Manchild.

* '''Invoked''': Alice marries Bob, who is blatantly an AdultChild.

** Alternatively, it's a SecretTestOfCharacter from Bob, or Alice is in an unhappy marriage/relationship with an AdultChild (or both).