Trouble Occurs After Wife Forgets Phone Numbers, Husband Then Applies “Kid’s Teaching Technique” On Her

After twelve years of marriage and raising three young children, a husband emphasizes memorizing essential phone numbers for real emergencies. His wife ends up locking her phone and keys inside her car during a work event far from home, leaving her stranded until a coworker drives her back and the whole family embarks on a lengthy round-trip to retrieve the vehicle.

He highlights how knowing his number by heart would have solved the problem instantly. She reluctantly agrees to learn it, yet struggles intensely with the task, growing frustrated and defensive during repeated attempts. Undeterred, he presses on, declaring it a vital safety matter regardless of her embarrassment.

A husband pushes his wife to memorize his phone number for safety using kids’ flashcards.

The husband has a solid point: in a real pinch like a lost phone during an emergency, having critical contacts memorized can make a huge difference. Relying solely on electronic devices leaves people vulnerable when tech fails, such as during power outages, lost phones, or no signal situations.

One key reason people skip memorizing numbers today ties to “digital amnesia,” where we offload info to our phones because we trust them to store it.

As Nancy Dennis, associate professor of psychology at Penn State University, explains: “Without a doubt technology has transformed our lives and has also seemingly altered the way our brains work… that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” She notes this reliance frees the brain for deeper thinking, but it comes with risks like forgetting how to reach loved ones without a device.

Broadening out, family safety often hinges on these basics. Surveys show many adults can’t recall even close family numbers without their phone, heightening vulnerability in crises.

For instance, a 2015 study on digital amnesia found that 44% of people use smartphones as their primary memory for important details, and many panic at the thought of losing that access. In emergencies, quick access to help matters, whether calling a spouse or emergency services.

Yet the husband’s method drew fire: turning it into a “kids’ lesson” with flashcards and involving the children made his wife feel demeaned and compared unfavorably to a 5-year-old.

Relationship experts warn against treating a spouse like a child, as it erodes equality and breeds resentment. When one partner lectures or “teaches” the other patronizingly, it shifts the dynamic from partnership to parenting, which exhausts both sides.

The Reddit crowd mostly called him out for delivery over intent, suggesting alternatives like private practice, mnemonics, or even a engraved bracelet instead of public humiliation. Some noted not everyone memorizes numbers easily; different learning styles exist, and pressure can backfire.

A balanced fix? Drop the flashcards showdown, apologize for the embarrassment, and collaborate on low-pressure ways forward like associating numbers with meaningful patterns or repeating them during calm moments. Ultimately, it’s about mutual safety without power struggles.

See what others had to share with OP:

Some people judge the OP as YTA mainly for the way he handled the situation, especially using flashcards like he was teaching a child.

Some people agree the wife should memorize important phone numbers for safety reasons, but still criticize the OP’s approach.

Some people support the OP being NTA on the core issue that the wife should know important phone numbers.

In the end, the husband raises a valid safety concern, but his heavy-handed “teaching” approach turned a practical fix into a humiliating standoff.

Do you think insisting on memorization is fair for family preparedness, or did he overstep by treating his wife like one of the kids? How would you handle a spouse resisting something you see as essential? Drop your thoughts below!