Why do men 'wait in the car' after coming home? Thousands submit heartbreaking replies

Do you also find the 'men' in your family spending a little 'too much' time in their car? If yes, then, surprisingly, my friend, you are not alone. In fact, when a woman, Sophia (@kerubosk on X), asked, "Why do men stay in the car for minutes after arriving home?" the response was unreal; while most men said they steal some moments of peace and silence, others justified it by saying they wait to finish listening to their favorite songs, and more.

For instance, @harvey commented, "It is to transition between different types of stress; men have to be productive at work and then be the immovable rock at home. Different types of stress require different types of states of mind." Another man, @alan lazenby, chimed in, justifying, "Lots of reasons: listening to the end of a song, on a phone call, finishing some work, decompressing from work. If a man’s not had alone time, then he will go to a bedroom and shut the door for a while and need his cave time." Now, as rightly pointed out by this person, Lemon8 explains this psychological pause as a "protective measure" to shield themselves from feeling overwhelmed in a space where they feel they're properly understood. While this may happen more likely when men don't have supportive partners, usually men spend alone time to avoid a sudden emotional breakdown in front of others. 

@bizguru4 commented, "He is still closing that business call or borrowing money on your behalf & the kids, so he is doing it to avoid losing his dignity or his kids hearing him asking for help to avoid confusion. But I am sure that never crosses a woman's mind because all men are good for is cheating, right?" On the other hand, @raybinesue87881 said, "I sit in my car before I go in because I'm tired. I just need a moment. It's not because I have contention in my home. It's because I need a few minutes of me time before I go on to the next thing. It's okay to take a moment in your car alone. In fact, I think it's healthy!"

@rmvolt11 wrote, "I do it to decompress and prepare for the next several hours of uncertainty. My wife has terminal cancer, so one job may end, but the most important tasks are just starting. Sometimes I feel selfish for taking a little me time, but those three to five minutes of reset benefit her more than you would think."

Meanwhile, @iamexcellent_ _, assumed three specific reasons: "1. Praying that they are home safe, 2. They are listening to their favorite sports show on the radio, which is about to end... 3. DECOMPRESSING from the day's workload, and some are saying their goodnight to their side pockets." Echoing the sentiments, @timothymcdugle said, "For me, it's because I'm stressed out from all the other drivers when I get home, and therefore I take a moment for myself to collect my thoughts so that I don't take it out on people inside the house." @dadndollars said, "For me, it's usually checking and responding to messages before I head in so I can give my full attention to my family when I walk in the door." 

You can follow Sophia (@kerubosk) on X for lifestyle content.