i am not a religious scholar but i would like to add here that what you did was the right decision for now. but let this incident help you in thinking about hijab and the process/taqwa involved in getting to it :)
Allah help u
there are no difficulties or challenges purely associated with hijab .. as far as i have read the quran Allah swt specifically asks muslim men to lower their gaze and women to draw their outer garments above them ... there are a lot of things which are forced upon us by our parents, culture, religion .. most of these things are right its all a matter of thresh hold for example u dont want to force hijab but would u approve nudity if God forbid ur child like it would u force modesty upon her ? Islam is for everyone but not for everyone to follow perhaps .. once abroad a muslim girl showed her disgust for hijab i seconded her point of view she asked me why and i told her that we come to europe to see all this why not have it all in pakistan and she was offended :( anyways just an example .. u say u dont have the taqwa or not ready for hijab lol this the oldest excuse in the book .. either u say hijab is useless or embrace it cause a middle wsy is simply hypocracy .. hijab actually gives u grace and respect and reduces the chances of men ogling at u :)
i pray u dont regret ur decision on such a petty issue however ur husbands decision seems good .. this is my first reply here but remember life is a test nothing more nothing less u will be questioned about hijab .. if u have an english exam and u study physic througout the nite .. trust me u will FAIL .. do what Allah swt asks u not for ur husband but for Him .. and yes religious edicts such as this would feel harsh but screw everyone think whats best for u ...
^ On pure logical grounds, nothing wrong with what she said.
You never force down something significant such as a Hijab or a beard on someone who isn't willing to do it from within. The most you can and should do is encourage them to do it, and that too without overdoing it.