I use the term I guess because it's a term that is used on fora but I've never really understood it.  I don't see my partner as someone who should be obeyed and she definitely doesn't see me that way.

We just don't have the sort of relationship where we need each others' permission for stuff.  Good understandings in place for joint expenditure and decision making.  Otherwise we more or less do what we want.

I read that story yesterday, as the headline intimated that the nickname he used for her was really bad.

I haven't raised it with my wife, but I'm pretty sure she would agree that she must be obeyed.

They must have had some other pretty serious issues if she left him for called her SWMBO. 

In my opinion, SWMBO is quite respectful, with good humour, and certainly not derogatory. If I wanted to be derogatory, I certainly would not use that 'nickname'.

Yeah, she didn't leave for that. It was simply the straw that broke the camels back.

If they got a divorce over that, they had many more issues than just a nickname. Especially one as widely used as that one.

This happened in Australia - where "Ball and Chain" is a compliment to your heritage.

I was amazed that article was news. Then I was amazed that I was amazed considering the news these days.

A fairer article would be couple got divorced for many reasons - but how many clicks would that generate?

In short. They had been arguing for 2 years and she felt he ignored her,  didn't pull his weight around the house or help out with the new baby.
Instead he went out with his mates to much.

After one time too many she looked at his phone for some reason - saw SWMBO and asked what it meant.
He explained what it meant and that was the last straw.

He probably has an different POV; but again - hey who cares, we have clicks to generate.

Taubin:

 

If they got a divorce over that, they had many more issues than just a nickname. Especially one as widely used as that one.

 

Having little kids can be tough, especially if you are down to one income. 

Puts additional pressures and stresses on both parents.  Throw in a lack of sleep and other enjoyable activities ...

Reading the article, the SWMBO was the tipping point, essentially he seemingly struggled to adjust to the change in dynamics of an infant in the house and distanced himself from wife/child. Attention seeking headline but otherwise no different than many other similar cases I would suspect.

MikeAqua:

 

Taubin:

 

If they got a divorce over that, they had many more issues than just a nickname. Especially one as widely used as that one.

 

 

Having little kids can be tough, especially if you are down to one income. 

 

Puts additional pressures and stresses on both parents.  Throw in a lack of sleep and other enjoyable activities ...

 

 

 

Yup, it's much harder than we thought it would be, and we are well educated and have reasonable incomes and financial security. It almost broke us.  The stress can be immense. Illness or other things can just make it many times worse.

Click bait at it's finest.

xpd:

Apparently using "SWMBO" can end in divorce. 

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12126642

Oops... I know theres a few ppl on here who use that :D

 

Taubin:

If they got a divorce over that, they had many more issues than just a nickname. Especially one as widely used as that one.

     >For the literary amongst us, the term is often associated with the fictional barrister Horace Rumpole in the excellent stories by John Mortimer. <

It's how he referred to his wife, Hilda, usually whilst leaning against the bar with a glass of Chateau Thames Embankment or Chateau Fleet Street (his name for cheap red wine).

However, the origin is from Henry Rider Haggard's 1886 novel She: A History of Adventure