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Sunday, April 6, 2008

A Startling Revelation: Married Men Make Extra Housework for Their Wives!

This is research just conducted by the University of Michigans' Institute for Social Research. Surprisingly enough, the head researcher is a man. What is most startling to me is that the University of Michigan feels that this is truly in ANY way a revelation. ANY married woman could have told them this well established fact!

In fact, the sutdy suggests that a man ONLY adds 7 hours a week to the housework for his wife. I would say that this is WAY off. I know for a fact that it has to be more than seven hours. Just picking up my husbands various cups and icecream bowls and washing them takes at least 3o minutes a week and let's not even talk about his laundry! The man only wears an article of clothing once a week and then, on the floor it goes. Apparently the whole concept of a laundry hamper is completely alien. In fact, I find so many clothes on the floor, that I often become disheartened myself and leave mine there too.

The garbage - oh the garbage! We recycle, well, let me correct that - I do. That means that i have to sort through my garbage to see what recyclables my husband has thrown out. This often takes quite a bit of time every week. Not to mention that I am the only one in my house who takes OUT the trash. If I were to go on strike, we would be living on a mountain of crap in about 2 weeks. Seriously.

So everyone dish - how does your spouse add to your housework and do you think that 7 hours a week on average is about right? OR like me, do you think that it's actually more?

8 comments:

Kelly said...

More, much, much more. I have 6 kids as well and I am the only one who cleans. My husband often comes home with his clothes full of saw dust that flys all over the place as he undresses each night. Youd be surprised where those little flakes of wood show up. Not to metion how much and how fast dirty clothes accumulate when there are 8 people in the house and only one doing laundry. Sigh... Id better go get started.

Ann M. said...

I'd say an average of about ten more a week when he's here vs. when he's deployed. Between the dirty clothes and all the crap he leaves laying around, there's a lot more to pick up. Plus, he never uses the doormat when he comes in from outside so there's more sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming. There is more cooking, too. And then there's the fact that there are magical spill stains on the floors that ONLY appear when he's home...heh.

Ken said...

I don't really believe these studies. I blogged about it here:
http://tunasafedolphin.blogspot.com/2008/04/study-mean-create-more-housework-for.html

Anonymous said...

Muuuuuuch more, I'd say! LOL My hubby literally drops his drawers (and whips his shirt and/or socks off) IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LIVING ROOM. Not even on our bedroom floor. Also he will blow his nose and leave the tissue on the coffee table, or the candy wrapper from the candy he ate, and dirty dishes? Let's not even GO there! LOL I feel like ALL I DO, is follow him around and clean up after him (not mention turn off lights and tv's that he is not using).

Ken said...

Snowflake... feel free to link to my blog. Also, thanks for supporting a Navy man.

Yes, he should put his socks in the right place.

I never understood the leaving dirty laundry stuff out in the open, myself. And it isn't like I'm a neat freak or anything like that.

Overall, I think marriage is supposed to reduce the amount of work for the participants, as they compliment each other in their roles and share resources. Clearly, though, it does mean some more work in some areas.

But getting back to the dirty sock... there are widows who would LOVE to find their husband's dirty socks lying around.

When I come home and I realize that my wife didn't get to the dishes, or didn't do this or that, it doesn't bother me because she has been looking after our child. I'd rather our child be happy, healthy, and mentally stimulated than the house look like I could give a tour.

snowflake said...

Ken, thank you for your words. I agree that there are many widows who would love to pick up her hubby's socks - the wife of a deploying submariner is always conscience that reality is just one disaster away. As I said, my blog here is predominantly tongue in cheek.
I agree that a true marriage is about individuals complementing one another, and I'm lucky that my hubby loves me whether our house is white glove inspection clean or not! LOL!

SkeinGoddess said...

Quite possibly more along the lines of 7 hrs a day. I have sock hunts through the house, He doesn't eat sandwiches and rarely eats creal, so there's quite a bit of time in cooking right there.Of course the uninterested having to set down and hear every steaming detail of his day. and the picking up of cans, dishes and sorting of laundry. I quit the hanging/putting away ....his clothes are still on the dining room table from 4 DAYS AGO.

Anonyme said...

I would have to agree with that. My dear hubby... well he tries except he doesn't do dishes or laundry... or vacuum so well.. Yea! He does make more housework!