by MJ Beatty

Created on: September 27, 2008   Last Updated: September 30, 2008

That people are even still debating whether or not husbands should do housework seems to me ridiculous, almost like contemplating whether or not husbands should get up in the morning and put their pants on by themselves. What comes immediately to mind is "Duh! He lives in that house, doesn't he?" A marriage is a partnership between two people living in one place. Husbands (hopefully) are grown men, just like wives are (in most states) grown women. They have to take care of their own bodies, brushing their teeth and showering and the like. They look after their own personal affairs. It only makes sense that they are the ones responsible for managing their own environments.

To be fair, there are situations in which the female partner would logically take on most or all of the housework. In traditional, one-income families where the wife is not contributing financially to the household, it would make sense for her to contribute by maintaining the house, keeping the place clean and feeding the family. Think of it as her job. He goes to work from eight to five, and she gets up and works the home.

In most households today, however, two incomes are needed. Both partners have to go to work outside the home, leaving no one in the home during the day to keep it clean. The only fair solution, short of hiring a maid and a chef, is for both partners to contribute to the running of the home. The partner who says he (or she) shouldn't have to cook or clean starts to look a little like a slacker.

In addition to pure fairness, a husband sharing the housework equally with his wife sets a good example for any children who might live in the home. Boys grow up learning that it is a man's responsibility to do his fair share, and girls grow up knowing that they don't have to put up with men who won't. Working together also increases time spent together, which in turn increases closeness. And in the end, there is more time and energy left over for the fun stuff!

The division of house-labor does not have to be an exact 50-50 split, nor does both partners' work have to be performed at the same time. My husband and I have a beautifully efficient system that has just somehow evolved on its own, no discussion necessary. We both work full-time outside the home. We also both appreciate a clean, serene environment, and we both LOVE to cook. The cooking part is easy. One of us will have a flash of culinary "genius" sometime during the day and announce to the other, "I'm making us dinner tonight."

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