Now I know that this is the year 2009 and women have worked hard to get equality, but I don’t care what anyone says. There are just some household jobs out there that should be left up to the man!
The Perfect Man
I believe this picture says it all. I am not sure men get the idea that women really are not that difficult to understand. We want love and affection, and to be appreciated…and maybe, just maybe to come home to dinner on the table, laundry done and a clean house that her husband took the time and energy to clean. And all of this done…without being asked!
Ok, ok I am living in a fantasy world. This man doesn’t exist, I got carried away, so let’s go back to the main point and that is to tell our men that we will do what we can around the house, but sometimes there are just some jobs that they are going to have to do to pitch in.
Man Jobs
I never thought I’d be this type of woman, but in my household I take on most of the household duties. Those being cleaning, laundry, cooking, dry cleaning, grocery shopping…OK well pretty much everything that needs to be done around the house. I don’t mind doing most of these jobs since I work from home, and some of them are just easy for me to get done with some of the extra time I have. Now that being said there are some jobs that I just refuse to do. I don’t care how dirty it gets, or how annoying it is, I just won’t do them because “it’s a man job!” My mom will sometimes complain when she has to take the garbage out, or carry the water bottle in to put on the cooler. My response is just don’t do it…”it’s a man job”. If you start to do those jobs for them, they will just let you. Don’t give in!
I truly believe that a man just isn’t wired to notice the small things. Men are big thinkers; they like to see the big pictures. They don’t notice when the garbage can is full and they don’t notice when the water cooler needs more water (though I wish they did). I am not sure why they are wired differently but I honestly don’t believe it’s malicious. What I do know is, is that I will not be helping with the very few jobs that my husband is responsible for. It’s a short list but here it is.
Jobs My Husband Does
- Take out the Garbage to the can, and then on garbage days to the street. (if I am lucky the can returns back to the house after!)
- Carry heavy things (i.e. water bottles and luggage) I certainly was not built for heavy lifting. I am a wuss, so it’s his job to carry.
- Mowing the lawn: Although I do not have to worry about this at this point in my life I am a true believer that the man mows the lawn. I don’t care how high that grass gets I will not do it.
Huh, now that I see this list it is ridiculously short, but I only listed jobs that I refuse to do. I must give my husband credit, he does take care of anything electronic and deals with all customer service people on the phone (I tend to start yelling at these poor people rather quickly).
He supports me in other ways, but household chores??? He leaves those jobs to me. Maybe someday I’ll come home and find him vacuuming on his own, but I won’t hold my breath.
So what jobs do you consider to be “man jobs”. Who does what around the house? In a world where men and woman both work outside the home more often than not, how do you split things up?
I agree. Each relationship is different. I learn that more and more as I see other friends and how they do things differently then my husband and I do. I guess over time the roles will become more defined. As a newlywed couple we are still learning about what works and what doesn’t for us. For now…Garbage duty will be left to him! lol
I think the freedom that has come to relationships in the last few years means the freedom to do what works for you as a couple. I’ve been married for 30 years, happily married I might ad and for the most part I do the traditional woman roles and my husband the male things like garbage duty, all the outside stuff regarding snow and leaves and grass..etc. We chose these because we do the things that we are better at. He does also do dishes and I do all the bills. Since we are older and are kids are grown, we also employ outside help in areas when we can to give ourselves a break after all these years of doing chores! It helps to start the chore assignments by each person doing the things they really don’t mind doing, or are simply better at. That’s a good beginning and no matter what “category” it falls into, traditional or modern, it doesn’t matter. You are both unique people, work it out uniquely. The key is, do the work to work it out!
You should include shoveling snow with the grass mowing. Def a man job!
I’d like to point out it was I who shampooed the carpets!
I love that your sweetie chimed in there at the end! In our home, his only “inside chores” are cleaning the boys’ bathroom (which he usually does because …ICK! they are 8 yrs and 7 yrs. old), the dishes (he has hung onto this one because each time I was pregnant doing the dishes made me VERY sick – just couldn’t handle those smells) and taking out the garbage and, naturally, he handles the “fixing” of things. It’s a good trade around here.
I can only imagine how icky the boys bathroom can get! wow…things I may have to look forward in the future!!
Since me & my husband both work the same schedule & have no kids, I expect a bit more help around the house. Lord knows I’m not his mom.
I make dinner, he puts the dishes in the dishwasher, I put them away from the dishwasher, he takes out the trash.
Truth be told I end up doing most the housework still- he seems oblivious to dust, grime on kitchen counters, dirt on floors, and he’s never cleaned the toliet in our house. Never the less, I expect to be helped if we are both working the same schedule. Just expect to have to tell him what needs to be done, because he doesn’t see it! Which is annoying, one hates to be a nag…
That’s a great set up! It isn’t that way at my house! But I do put my foot down when it comes to the man jobs! I won’t budge on those!