I've been married 28 years. It hasn't always been easy. I come from a long line of independent mothers. My grandmother got divorced in her 30s with three daughters and had to go to work (in the 1950s) and provide for the family because my douchebag grandfather walked away and didn't want to deal with them. My mother married a nice guy who had stable income working for the federal government in DC but as us kids were old enough to take care of ourselves she got a job. She hated being dependent on anyone. They eventually got divorced when I was in college. My father wasn't a great decision maker and it drove my mother insane and she had great ambitions and he didn't so they parted ways. Me being cut from the same clothe as my father married a Type A go get em type of woman. We almost got divorced a decade ago when I like my father couldn't make a decision about a business I was running and the money wasn't coming in and she was tired of supporting me. I got my ass in gear and got back to my old career and making money. My wife has never backed down on her upkeep and appearance and money making. I have seen so many mothers of my sons friends just give it all up for the kids and let themselves go. Then like clockwork, when the kids are old enough, the father finds a younger, more attractive woman to hook up with. Like clockwork. Seen it so many times. Then the wives are left with nothing and just wonder what the fuck just happened. Thankfully, I see less of this with my kids generation. Most girls I see are pretty independent and educated.