Sharing Housework: Should a Working Husband Participate?
However, if the husband works and the wife stays home, it is only fair that she does the majority of house chores, if not all of them. This is our situation right now; I have a part-time Internet-based business that I run from home, and my husband works full time and overtime, plus he manages to do some house remodeling when he is home. I cannot see myself asking him to help with cooking or laundry; while he is perfectly capable of doing both, there is just no such need, neither would it be fair of me.
I have heard many wives who stay at home while their husband works say that they view housework as their "job," and I think it is a very good approach. While it is hardly the job of our dreams for most of us, viewing it as a "job" helps to put things in the right perspective and avoid feeling resentful about having to do it. He's got his job, I've got mine. He does not have his job because he loves it but because we - both of us - need money; I have mine because these things need to be done - also for both of us. Fair enough.
When children enter the picture, the situation becomes more complicated. The woman's workload grows considerably, especially if there are several young children at home. She no longer works full time, she works 24/7, and I think it can be expected of the husband to pitch in and help. I am not talking about sharing the load 50/50; that is hardly possible with the husband's full time job and probably overtime since the family expenses have grown as well. Just doing what you can and when you can will be a tremendous and much appreciated help.
Published by Laura Lond
I have done many things in my life, from picking herbs for the local pharmacy when I was a kid to working for large international corporations, but I have always wanted to be a writer. View profile
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18 Comments
Post a CommentGreat topic and article!
I share your viewpoint on this, and my household is much like your own. My hubby works full time +, and runs his own business, servicing large trucks on the weekends. I stay at home and write (I am trying to write two novels and sell one). I feel it is my duty as the wife to take on the sole responsibility of all the household chores...unless there is something I can't do, like move something heavy. I also try to take on the majority of the yard work through the summer. He helps with that during the spring, as their is much more to do. He also sets up the pool, but I clean it during the summer. All of our children are grown, so it is just the two of us. I hate housework, but would feel so bad if he had to do any of it.
;-)
My husband and I have a pretty good arrangement. He does most of the cooking (he's an excellent cook) and I do the cleaning. I think it's important that both parties pull their share around the house, especially when there are children involved.
yeah I'm for pitching in and helping out. also, sometimes doing housework together can just be another way to spend time together:)
Great article. I do think the husband should help especially if you do have a home based business. Just because you don't leave the house does not mean you don't work.
Great Topic I have a husband who helps me, we learned early on in our marriage that I was not going to do everything myself, left little hints like when Iwanted the new garbage disposal installed and he kept forgetting to install it, I picked the blessed thing up and put it on his pillow in bed and covered it up, it was installed the next day.
Excellent. I agree time is a factor and my husband has a full time job, as well I work full time and with 4 kids it is difficult. We just take it day by day...whatever works will be. Sometimes things just have to wait. Oh well!
Excellent piece here and i love the way you wrote this, great job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
: )