Sometimes I think they think I should not let my husband help me when I need him too or sometimes when I don't just because he wants to.

What do you all think?

I really appreciate everything my husband does and I also do stuff for him around the place that other women wouldn't do. They might break a nail, ya know?

Dang if I dont spoil that woman!!!!

Gene

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, work.

Monday off.

Tuesday is an off day, but he always goes in anyway.

Wednesday, Thursday, work.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off.

Monday, Tuesday work, and Wednesday, even though its an off day.

Thursday off.

He barely has time to take the trash to the dump, fix the pool, which he is in the process of doing now, weed the flower beds, etc. There is always something that needs fixing around here. Lately, the roof, the faucet, and the garage door.

I, on the other hand, am here all the time. I clean house, cook supper, do laundry and dishes, AND feed and water all my animals..chickens, pigs, peafowl, etc. I also homeschool Shelby, but not right now, its summertime.

We are not the norm these days...usually both parents work. I have been blessed not to have to go out and work, I like being at home and doing the regular old mundane chores anyday!

PS...sometimes Ian likes to cook too :)

Just puttin in my two cents.

What a whinney butt!!

You know I am teasing dont you? No you are lucky indeed to be able to homeschool.

I hope my Grandaughter can be homeschooled, or at least be in a rural or small neighborhood school.

Myself, these days, I would be afraid to step foot in a large urban school.

Gene

So I painted, wall papered, designed garden and planted everything from ground cover to shrubs, and did the normal cooking, cleaning, shopping and care for daughter. If I had waited for him to do certain jobs according to stereotype description I'd still be waiting.

My Dad was in the Navy when I was little. He was gone 6 mo's at a time. So I was accustomed to my Mother running the home and doing what needed to be done. Probably because of that background I never thought twice about doing various things. Or hiring someone to do things I was not knowledgeable enough to handle, like plumbing work.

Each family creates the set up that works for them, hopefully.

Take care.

If my husband worked I would do everything but he is at home and he likes to cook sometimes, (tries to show the kids he is a better cook)...he is on pizza and meatballs. :)

I don't have to work but I need medical coverage so I am. I seem to like working now better than I did when I was younger.

Paula

Personally I have no problem with it but I raised 3 kids for 15 years by myself before getting hitched again. So I am kind'a use to it.

Guess it comes down to the person. I figure if they are that hung up on stero-types they have bigger personal issues. That goes both ways (men and women).

I agree with you. I know some that act like the world would come to an end if they did not cook every day. My husband doesn't mind if I don't cook a big meal all of the time. He will fix something or I will make a sandwich for us or something.

Probably explains why I am still single! Funny thing is we West Indians are fierce caretakers of family and partner anyway. For example, my last boyfriend, when we were new, forgot lunch (we didn't live together, but worked in the same area), so I packed one for him and brought it with me. That is the kind of thing either partner might do; man or woman. It struck me, by his surprise, that he didn't expect that kind of care.

How very confusing. I understand the dynamic now at 40, but resented the heck out of it at 20. Now I think it's pretty awesome - except I wouldn't want the kind of guy (like my dad unfortunately) who knows how to cook, but won't if there's a female within 100 miles.

Interesting topic, PCG. As usual you present something that seems pretty light at the surface, but provokes a great deal of thought.

Paula

I am teaching my boys to cook, clean, fix things, care for the animals, everything that needs doing, everyone in the house needs to pitch in. Seeing me build a fence, work a chain saw, or fix the pool filter and the sprinkler system is as normal to them as watching me cook dinner and clean the house, except that as they get older they take on more responsibility. It's more work training them than to do it myself, but it is slowly paying off!

I cannot stand helpless men or women. I don't mind cooking and cleaning and shopping but anyone who says I should do these things because of my gender can put it where the sun don't shine. I do see that women usually do more of the household stuff, although I have a couple of friends whose husbands are really good cooks so the husbands do the cooking.

Since I've moved to the cabin that knowledge would have been invaluable.

My take on the care and maintenance of family, house, yard, and car is all should participate and work together. However I do realize that there are physical limitations that some have. Starting the darn lawn mowers with the pull cord is one I have fun with. Some are easier to work with than others.

A lot of equipment is designed for fellows. So the height and weight is harder for women and children to use. The weird thing is kitchen cabinets are typically designed at a height that is more convenient for a mans height. Go figure.

I hope that people get to where they just help one another to do whatever. If my yard needs to have something done I do it. From shoveling to planting and so on.

I think we shouldn't expect men to do all the heavy lifting. So many of them develop back trouble because they do so much by themselves and end up being hurt.

But each family develops the lifestyle that works for them. The pattern is often set at a time when men and women are more reluctant to express how they would like things to be done.

One family I stayed with had a Swedish background. Their way of handling work was to have a set day that the house and yard were taken care of by everyone in the family. Usually on Saturday. By the end of the day the place was shipshape. And the kids didn't turn the place into a mess because they knew they would have to clean it up.

Just some thoughts. Take care.

I like to cook, Mrs. doesn't. Neither of us like doing dishes. I do laundry as a side while I do other things. For instance put a load in the washer when I start making dinner and then into the dryer while I am doing evening chores. Mrs. obsesses over laundry, trying to get it all done at one time. ie all saturday afternoon. My theory is a load here or there saves all that time hanging around the laundry room to work in the next batch. Seems like a waste.

Heck, I even have a pistol target range next to the BBQ grill so I can target shoot while cooking dinner.

I know men who wouldn't lift a finger to help the Mrs. with kitchen work, even if it meant they would starve. My ex-FIL, would drive 20 minutes each way to town to a restaraunt, rather than make himself a handburger or sandwich. He'd sit and watch his wife slaving away over dinner or whatever and wouldn't even get out of the way so she could make his lunch.

I believe that all people should be as self sufficient as possible but division of labor requires that someone be in charge, and as such do most of the work. JTWLI