TOTW: Division of Household Labor
This week’s topic of the week is going to be about the division of household labor. I’m not sure if we’ve covered it here before and if we have, it’s been a while, so no harm in bringing it up again.
How’s the split in your house? Are there some chores that only one of you typically do? Are there some chores he expects you and only you to do? Are there some you expect only him to do? What about your children, if they are old enough to do chores?
When I was a kid, I remember my dad helping out a lot around the house. My brother and I always had set chores too, but they were pretty easy. I unloaded one shelf of the dishwasher, he did another. I set the table and we took turns collecting garbages around the house for garbage day. I’m sure he had some more to do, but I can’t remember.
Currently, my two year old son is too young for chores. He likes to “help” me around the house, but that’s a whole other topic. I admit I am far from a good house cleaner and so is my husband. Yeah, we definitely don’t live in a spotless home. However, I do most of the indoor cleaning and housework. He does all of the outdoor housework. Changing light bulbs and batteries and stuff like that are just a matter of who gets to it. Vacuuming and washing and unloading dishes is somewhat shared, although I do the vast majority of it. Laundry is all mine. Recently my husband actually told me he’d like to help me out more and clean with me. Nice, huh? 
What’s it like at your house?
Inside, I mostly do everything (laundry, cooking, cleaning, taking out the garbage, bathrooms, etc). DH irons his own clothes though. He's too picky about the way they are done, and I don't get around to it for weeks so he just does it.
Recently though, Jay, my exchange student has been helping out, which is nice since I am preg. He nearly always helps with dinner, dishes, taking out garbage, and vacuuming. I usually don't have to ask him to do anything either, he just does it. It's really nice. Too bad my own teenagers aren't likely to be that way. J is a guest and we are not getting paid so I think he feels like it's the only way to really thank us. I think it's great!
I do almost all of the laundry and every day cleaning, but he will definitely help if I am overloaded or need him for something. He's a good guy.
When G is older, he'll get a standard allowance, but we'll also have him help out around the house for extra $$. Depending on how many kids we have they'll take turns setting/clearing the table and unloading the dishwasher. DH insists that G and any future boys help him outside, and I think all of our kids need to know how to pick up after themselves and feed themselves.
These days.. our house has been dusted 2 times in as many years more or less, LOL. But it isn't like there is pounds of dust everywhere... it actually looks liek I have dusted recently (maybe I have a housecleaning gremlin?). I vacuum when A tosses crumbs everywhere or when I decide its been too long. I LOVE to cook its my outlet, but DH gets tired of trying to keep DS from mauling me while I cook so he usually tries to take over. Until the dishes are most of the way to the ceiling C does nothign with them and even then he doesn't rinse them prior to them going in the DW. I have gioven up trying to explain that there is no little man who comes out and scrapes the crap off the dishes. I jsut wind up re-washing half of them. DH unloads the DW when asked. The garbage lives ont he back porch thanks to A's obsession with throwing stuff away and fishing stuff out. It has to go to the dump and I usually make C do it... it smells and he has no sense of smell so.... plus his trailblazer fits more in it than my elantra! C mows and weed eats but doesn't do it half as often as he should.
My in-laws totally spoiled DH and his bro and sis. My child(ren) will NOT be that way.. he will know how to cook and do laundry, etc. DH will throw laundry in the washer and ryer sometimes but I have seen him fold exactly two loads of laundry since we have been married - and those were towels!
We have also started alternating dishes (not every night, but that's ok). One person bathes N while the other person cleans up the dishes after dinner. Dh does a lot more during the weekends too - it's hard for him to do much housework when he has to be at an office for 10 hours a day.
ETA: we just started giving N very small chores. We have found that if we are very specific (I mean really specific -- can you please put all of the stuffed animals in that basket? can you stack all of your puzzles? Not just, can you go clean your room), that she is very willing and almost excited to help! She gets coins to put in her piggy bank for doing chores.
but, at least you knew you couldn't be a superhero and DH wasn't like why can't you do it all!
Their house was horrendous! Carpet torn up, paint dented and peeling all over. It smelled like mildew and there was clutter everywhere. No one ever did come down to the door, DH had to take the food up to the kitchen and hand it to the son.
It made me promise myself to make sure my kids know how to clean up after themselves and keep the house relatively clean (and also teach them basic respect and door-answering etiquette). My kids WILL do chores!
We do have a housekeeper who comes once every two weeks and we used to have a lawn guy but I'm too picky so I recently fired him and started mowing the lawn myself. I actually enjoy it if I do it early enough. If it's later in the day and very humid, I wonder why I agreed to do this in the first place.
Lucky for me, B agrees with me, and his job isn't horribly demanding since he's home by 4:15 or so most days (he's a teacher).
I despise cooking, so he cooks and does the grocery shopping. I help out. I usually do dishes because we figure whoever gets dinner shouldn't have to clean up also. That depends on what's going on with the kids, though.
I do all the laundry. Well, right now, B is doing his own because I got fed up with him leaving crap in his pockets and making laundry harder than it has to be. I told him the other day I could start doing his again, and he actually said he's not ready yet. LOL He wants to be sure he can keep his pockets empty first.
I handle all of our finances and do most of the general cleaning. Vacuuming is supposed to be B's job because it hurts my wrist and back. He mows, weedwhacks, and usually takes care of extra watering of the lawn. We share the rest of the outside chores.
Our kids will definitely do chores when they're old enough. I'm getting close to wanting to have N start helping more regularly.