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{"id":42045,"date":"2019-09-09T09:13:15","date_gmt":"2019-09-09T09:13:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/?p=42045"},"modified":"2026-10-13T08:28:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T08:28:32","slug":"the-man-child-is-your-husband-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/the-man-child-is-your-husband-one\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Identify If Your Husband Is a Man-Child"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-42047 size-full\" title=\"How to Identify If Your Husband Is a Man-Child\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/The-Man-Child-Is-Your-Husband-One.jpg\" alt=\"How to Identify If Your Husband Is a Man-Child\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We see the<\/span><b> Man Child<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> memes on Facebook, the ones your female friends post with glee.&nbsp; They feature a man suffering horribly over some small thing, perhaps a cold, or that they got served a full-fat rather than non-fat latte at their favorite Starbucks.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;You may be wondering what a man child is.&nbsp; Let&rsquo;s look at some<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bustle.com\/articles\/144509-9-things-i-learned-from-dating-a-man-child\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><b>tell-tale signs<\/b><\/a><b> of an immature man.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The-man-child-syndrome\"><\/span>The man child syndrome<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here&rsquo;s what to look for if you think your husband or partner might be a<\/span> <b>man child:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/how-to-stop-being-needy-in-a-relationship\/\">He is excessively needy<\/a>,&nbsp;but also can turn his back to you and be excessively cold towards you.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He constantly complains, usually about things he has no control over, like the change to daylight savings time, or that there&rsquo;s nothing good on Netflix.&nbsp; Everything is a &ldquo;nightmare&rdquo; to him, a nightmare caused by someone else.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He never cleans up after himself.&nbsp;&nbsp;Whether it is clearing his tray at a fast-food restaurant, or general tidying up in the home, he doesn&rsquo;t do it.&nbsp; Like a child, he expects someone else to sweep up after him and take care of all the mess.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He is never on time.&nbsp; Your timetable isn&rsquo;t important.&nbsp; He&rsquo;ll show up late to appointments and social events.&nbsp; He&rsquo;ll never be where you need him to be at the scheduled time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dishonesty.&nbsp; He is not beyond lying to protect and serve his own interests<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Narcissism.&nbsp; Both physical and mental:&nbsp; he spends an excessive amount of time preening in front of the mirror.&nbsp; He also disregards others&rsquo; needs, prioritizing his own.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Laziness.&nbsp; He does not share the workload around the house, leaving you to be responsible for all the chores needed to keep the household running smoothly<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feels other people owe him<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inflated sense of entitlement<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thinks he is always right and others are to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/the-blame-game-is-destructive-to-your-marriage\/\">blame for everything wrong<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inability to acknowledge that there are consequences to all actions, especially toxic actions<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What%E2%80%99s-behind-the-man-child-syndrome\"><\/span>What&rsquo;s behind the man child syndrome?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The driving force behind an<\/span><b> emotionally immature man<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is his upbringing.&nbsp; Boys whose parents enabled them from an early age often grow up to be man children.&nbsp; They had everything done for them as young boys and expect this to continue throughout life.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/us\/therapists\/jenni-jacobsen-profile\">Dr. Jennifer Schulz<\/a>, relationship psychology expert, adds, &ldquo;A man may also present as childish if he grew up with significant trauma, as his brain was so focused on survival that he never had the time to develop mature coping strategies.&rdquo; <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are married to a man child, you will have many challenges.&nbsp; One is if your man child refuses to work. A man child can have difficulty holding down a job because of their immature attitudes towards others.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No employer will value someone who will not <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/accepting-responsibility-in-relationships\/\">take responsibility for mistakes<\/a> on the job.&nbsp; Sometimes a man child can stay at a job because they are usually likeble and fun at the beginning (like a child) but eventually, management realizes that they are a liability.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At that point, they will be fired.&nbsp; If this happens repeatedly, it is no surprise that the man child refuses to work.&nbsp; But instead of looking inward to question why he cannot hold down a job, the man child will blame everyone else:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;They are all stupid.&nbsp; I&rsquo;m the best employee out there; it&rsquo;s their fault they don&rsquo;t recognize genius when it is in front of them.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">According to <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/experts\/grady-shumway\" target=\"_blank\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Grady Shumway<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, LMHC:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Man-child syndrome often stems from a lack of accountability and emotional growth, making it difficult for them to adapt to adult responsibilities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In relationships, this immaturity can create an imbalance, where the partner may feel burdened by taking on the majority of duties and decision-making.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are married to a man child, what are some coping strategies?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How-to-deal-with-an-emotionally-immature-husband\"><\/span>How to deal with an emotionally immature husband<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, know you are not alone.&nbsp; Men children can be initially very charming, pulling you into their world.&nbsp; So do not blame yourself for getting into this relationship.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Secondly, understand that there is little you can do to change his emotionally immature behavior.&nbsp; His way of being is deeply-ingrained, going back to his childhood.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And because men children cannot see that their way of functioning in the world has negative consequences on others, they are not motivated to seek change.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What does this mean for you?&nbsp; One strategy is to ignore his behavior.&nbsp; But this may be difficult, especially for large-scale things like if he refuses to work.&nbsp; Ask yourself: Do you want to be the only breadwinner in this relationship? A relationship that is far from balanced and satisfying?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another strategy is to try and reach a compromise with your man child husband.&nbsp; If <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/lazy-husband\/\">he is a<b>&nbsp;<\/b>lazy husband<\/a>&nbsp;and<\/span>&nbsp;no&nbsp;amount of nagging or coaxing has affected, sit him down and tell him that he can have one room in the house where he can do his own thing.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One room only.&nbsp; The rest of the house is &ldquo;your space.&rdquo; You will maintain the cleanliness and order in all rooms but his man cave.&nbsp; Feel free to lay down this rule without inviting a discussion. If he is going to act like a child, he can be expected to be treated like one, too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dealing with an<\/span><b> emotionally immature husband <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can be taxing on you.&nbsp; At some point, you may wish to talk to a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">counselor or a marriage therapist<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, even if you have to go alone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Grady Shumway further adds:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Seeking professional support can help you navigate the emotional strain and provide you with tools to cope and set healthy boundaries.<\/p>\n<p>A therapist can also guide you in determining the best path forward, whether that involves personal growth or improving the relationship dynamic.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is not pleasant to live life under a man-child&rsquo;s terms.&nbsp; Everyone deserves a happy and balanced relationship; it is a life goal, right?&nbsp; It would not be unreasonable for you to find yourself in a situation where you begin to ask yourself if you should leave the relationship.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Former wives who have left their emotionally immature husbands say this:&nbsp; If you suspect your&nbsp;<strong>immature boyfriend<\/strong> is showing signs of being a man-child, do not commit to a long-term relationship.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don&rsquo;t jump into things too fast, even if he is blindingly handsome, charming, and funny.&nbsp; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn how to recognize the symptoms<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of man child syndrome, and if you see, he is displaying many of these, save yourself from heading towards an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/useful-tips-to-repair-an-unhappy-relationship\/\">unhappy relationship<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leave and find someone else.&nbsp; There is plenty of fish in the sea, so start swimming again.&nbsp; Never give up hope. You will find your perfect match, and this time it will be with a grown-up.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;If you want to save the relationship, it&rsquo;s important that your husband seeks therapy to address the underlying issues leading to immature behavior,&rdquo; offers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/us\/therapists\/jenni-jacobsen-profile\">Dr. Schulz<\/a>. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n","protected":false,"raw":""},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We see the Man Child memes on Facebook, the ones your female friends post with glee.&nbsp; They feature a man suffering horribly over some small thing, perhaps a cold, or that they got served a full-fat rather than non-fat latte at their favorite Starbucks.&nbsp; &nbsp;You may be wondering what a man child is.&nbsp; Let&rsquo;s look at some tell-tale signs of an immature man. The man child syndrome Here&rsquo;s what to look for if you think your husband or partner might be a man child: He is excessively needy,&nbsp;but also can turn his back to you and be excessively cold towards <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":675,"featured_media":42047,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2501],"tags":[2598],"class_list":["post-42045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-personality-types","tag-spot-toxic-behavior","has_thumb"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/675"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42045"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42045\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":124369,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42045\/revisions\/124369"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42047"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}