why are some women content to do all the housework?

[honeydew]

I meet lots of mums in my local area who, like me, are stay at home mums with very young children but are prepared to do absolutely everything for their partners and DH's! They slave away cooking, cleaning and washing at home with no help and at the weekends, they still don't expect
their partners to do anything! I have friends who never get a proper break from their children, even if it's only for a couple of hours. Their DH's leave them to it 24/7. Is it just me who has found that old style patriarchy is alive and well in society once a woman gives up work to raise her brood? My DH does help me with baby DS, he also puts my older daughter to bed and washes up after I've cooked each night, so we work as a team. So many women I speak to say that their DH's are not 'hands on' parents and do virtually all the chores and baby changing/feeding. Oviously, if one partner is working during the week they can't do that much, but some men don't want to contribute at all it would seem! Are they just lazy or simply 'expect' women to fulfill that role?

sorry, that should read felines

Oh no, you found me/us out Platy. Meeow

Mr Kittywits:

Lost £2k today so far. Gold tanked, commodities too and the dollar headed north at double speed due to political tensions in the world.

No Fairymum (3.14) I don't get easily stressed or flustered and KW just shuts her ears if I tell her about this sort of thing.

We wouldn't turn down your kind offer of a bit of looking after though, so if you'd like to put a fiver in a hat and then pass it round all those lovely MN types, all contributions will be gratefully received.

floating, but he does. It's hard to say how i would react to things if the circumstances were different. I have always known him to be the man he is now. We would have to reassess our positions if the circumstances change dramatically. As I have said he's not anti chipping in with the house work. But I see it as my area and I think I always will do. he looks after me in other ways, and not just with finances.

Yeah BAWC and I are severley schizophrenic

work at the weekend

Surprised I/ we weren't found out earlier what with our views being so similar

dunno, that's all I can offer at the mo, sorry!

Hi is this dead yet???no oh well ...might as well say that everyones different etc etc etc my dh is v masculine big, hairy, shaved head, tatts and does 2 v masculine jobs but he wears earrings likes washing up and would quite happily change a nappy(told me earlier that it takes a real man to open a fresh nappy!!lol) or help out since birth, wanted to and actively took part in the births of both my dds said it's the least he could do considering I carried them thought it was brill to cut the cords and loved the gas & air.

I take care of finances cause I'm better at it all the money goes to my account and I pay out,I do most of the cooking because I enjoy it and I'm better,I clean more because I'm at home but if something needs doing he does it we even go shopping together... simple.. he respects and acknowledges my job is as important as his and I his... we are a complement for each other and we help each other with the stresses and strains of life...

I would love to have someone help me out like my neighbour she has someone to do the garden,the ironing,general cleaning but I don't so that's life!

good for you, that's how it should be

floating, I've always been honest.

"But Beatie, I don't give two hoots about what other people do or don't do." Ha, ha, ha. Is that too sarcastic for you KW? Did you use to be Bearsomething a little while ago?

no

You clearly have a problem, definite aggression. I think you've joined too late and clearly don't understand what's going on. It makes you look foolish.

No, I am not making a value-judgement on your life nor am I saying you are only making a contribution if you are working. I do think your life sounds very introverted though and I do wonder about these stressed and nastiness you are talking about. Personally I prefer to have a bit of perspective on my life and I realise compared to many people I am having a ball. I also think it's healhty for children to have a mother who cares about and takes part on society and tries to make a positive impact rather than shut it out. Sorry if I have got the wring end of the stick, but I get from your posts that you lead a very cocooned existence.

Wharrever, Kittenbrains.

At the moment it's insulated because I am restricted of course by having such young children. Before I had them I was out and about much more and when the youngest starts school I will be out and about again.

BTW, isn't there some, you know, housework for you to do? And maybe I'm keeping you.

Fairymum, How would you define making a positive impact on society?