'My husband asked me to leave my job to become a stay at home mum, so I asked for half of his company.'

It's no parenting secret that women are often the ones who suffer in the wake of their responsibilities — whether that's mentally or financially.

Many women find themselves leaving well-paying jobs to care for their children. This not only creates gaps in their resumes, making future employment more challenging, but also results in missed superannuation contributions.

Watch: Are stay at home mums undervalued? Post continues below.

According to Verve Super, these career breaks are a leading cause of the significant super gap between men and women. As a result, women often retire with nearly half the superannuation savings of their male counterparts. 

In fact, one in three Australian women retires with no superannuation at all. 

So, you can see why one Reddit user requested half of her husband's company after he asked her to become a stay-at-home mum. However, the idea was met with mixed reactions. 

"My husband and I (both 35) have been married for six years, and we have two children together and one on the way. He said that he wanted me to be a housewife and stop working," wrote Redditor Status-Mention6793.

"I was very disturbed by that, but he explained that it was better for our family and children since he can afford a very good living.

"After a few weeks of thinking, I told him that I would agree but only if I get half of his company. He was surprised by this, but I explained further that the more I stay at home, the less chance I would have to find a well-paying job should we ever divorce because I would have less merits, while he would stay making more money each year," she continued.

"So I want half of the company. If we never divorce, which is the goal of all marriages, then it wouldn’t matter. But, should it end, it would be the price of me staying home and raising our children so he could be less worried and stressed out (his words, that he would be less anxious and stressed out if he knew they were with me rather than with strangers in daycare or nannies)."

However, when she shared her request with friends, many were taken aback and called her "disgusting" for even suggesting it.

People on Reddit were much more supportive, saying she had every right to secure her future in case anything went wrong. 

"Not the asshole and you shouldn't bend on this," one person wrote. "You have as much a right to a secure financial future as he does. If he won't do this, he can't afford you, or he is looking to create a power imbalance that puts you at a disadvantage."

"Not the asshole," wrote another. "He’s asking you to make a sacrifice for the sake of the company, so equity in the company is appropriate compensation for this."

"If you never get divorced, then no worries. If you do, then the extra attention he’s able to give to the business due to your taking on the domestic roles benefits both of you equally, as it should."

Others advised her never to sacrifice her financial independence "for a man."

People also didn't hold back in criticising her friends' reactions. One person wrote, "If you want a housewife, marry a housewife، if you want a working wife marry a working woman. NTA (not the asshole) and I suggest your 'best friend' to become EX-BEST FRIEND."

After reading the responses, OP returned with an update, revealing that her husband agreed to split the company 51/49.

Feature Image: Getty.