One of the best things about being a kid was the lack of responsibilities. The only things I had to worry about were cleaning my room and doing my homework. I didn’t have to do laundry, mop the floors, wash the dishes, change the bed sheets, make dinner, etc. But unfortunately, when you grow up, you realize that you’re in charge of everything.
That’s why it’s best for couples to split up domestic chores evenly. If a single person is taking on too much of the load, they’ll be drowning in work. So when one man’s girlfriend refused to do her fair share of chores around the house, he decided to reach out to the internet for advice. Below, you’ll find the full story that he shared on Reddit, as well as some of the replies invested readers left him.
Nobody enjoys doing household chores
Image credits: drazenphoto (not the actual photo)
So when this man realized that his girlfriend was helping out way too little, he reached out to the internet for advice
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Open_Address_2805
Later, the author responded to a couple of readers and shared more details about his situation
85% of Americans admit that they put off doing household chores that they hate
From a very young age, most of us realize that we’re not fans of household chores. Why would I clean my room if I could be outside playing with my friends instead? And what’s the point of making my bed if I’m going to sleep in it again tonight? All of my chores seemed absolutely pointless.
As an adult, however, I’ve come to appreciate how amazing it is to have a clean house. When the floors are spotless, the kitchen is sparkling, and the bathroom smells like cleaning supplies, I am finally at peace. It’s just the process required to get there that I despise.
According to a survey by Lombardo Homes, the number one chore Americans hate most is cleaning and sanitizing the bathroom. Next up is washing dishes, followed by doing laundry, cleaning the refrigerator, doing yard work, sweeping/cleaning the floors, dusting, clearing the kitchen, organizing or picking up clutter, and taking out the trash.
85% of Americans admit that they put off doing chores that they hate, and over half say they spend between 1 and 4 hours doing chores every single week. When it comes to how households are splitting up their domestic labor, 45% of women say they’re doing all of the work, while only 24% of men say the same.
At the same time, 57% of men say they share the chores with their partner. But only 48% of women say they’re splitting chores with their partner. And in households with children, a whopping 65% of moms say that they’re doing all of the chores. Less than a third of mothers say they split housework with their partner.
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An uneven division of domestic labor can take a huge toll on a relationship
It’s clear that nobody enjoys doing these tasks, though. Two-thirds of Americans admit that they’ve made excuses to avoid chores, and 1 in ten have bribed their partner or roommate to get out of doing housework. 54% of people say they’ve even experienced tensions when discussing domestic responsibilities in their household.
It’s crucial to find a healthy split of chores if you don’t want domestic labor to start taking a toll on your relationship. One study found that wives reported one of their top sources of stress was that their husbands wouldn’t contribute to chores around the house.
And VeryWell Mind reports that an uneven distribution of household labor is linked to decreased marital satisfaction, increased distress, worse mental health, and an increased risk of divorce.
Couples need to find a way to split up these responsibilities that satisfies both of them. But apparently, one of the worst mistakes you can make is asking your partner if they will help you. This gives them the option to say no, allowing them to view the task as your job, rather than something you’re both responsible for.
Instead, couples should communicate clearly about who’s going to do what and when it will happen. Having a game plan means that everything will get done without any confusion. It might be necessary to touch base every week to ensure that you’re still on the same page. But at least you’ll know that one person won’t be drowning in chores while the other sits on the couch watching reality television.
Image credits: mviabgd (not the actual photo)
Readers overwhelmingly sided with the man, warning him that his girlfriend has exhibited some red flags
