The recent global pandemic has brought about many changes in our lives, and that includes our households too. The necessary housework has increased, and child care has grown with it. It falls on both sides in a relationship to navigate through these testing times, and as a guy, that means figuring out how to split up your chores fairly. How to go about this? We have the answers.
Sit Down and Talk
That’s ground zero. It’s a universally proven fact that among heterosexual couples, it is women who do more housework than men, and that fact is not necessarily your fault. We’re all socialized among certain societal norms, and these are often slow to adapt to modern times and change in general. With the rise of dual-income households, it’s no longer expected that a woman’s role is to be a housewife only, and it is the husband who has to provide for the family. So, sit down with your partner and discuss how you can split your housework in a way that’s fair for both sides.
Set Minimum Housework Standards
After you’ve done a chore audit, it’s time to set agreed-upon standards. This means, “we take the trash out on Tuesdays and Sundays unless the trash can gets too full by that time.” We have different perceptions of what is clean, what is dirty, and what is the right time to empty the bin, so make it like a schedule. That way, you don’t actively have to contemplate if you need to mop the kitchen floors or take the trash out.
Spend Alone Time with Your Kids
Psychologist Darcy Lockman says that neither parent should feel more responsible or competent than the other. So, to boost your self-esteem about being a good dad, try and spend time alone with your kids. It will give you an awesome opportunity to bond further, with the added bonus of letting mom have some time for herself. Everybody wins.