by Alisha Link

Created on: December 23, 2008

Getting my husband to do any kind of housework is basically like trying to milk a bull. It can not be done. I actually quit a decent paying job in part to keep up with the housework. Of course there were other reasons, but with a 60 hour a week job for each person, there wasn't a great deal of time for either of us to keep house. Thinking about my husband doing housework actually makes me laugh out loud, but I know it's not really his fault. I have come to terms with the fact that I have created a monster, and I blame only myself.

One of my biggest character flaws is my impatience. If I ask someone to do something, I really need it to be done right when I ask. Women have more of a sense of urgency when it comes to housework, and men(at least mine) can be great at lolly gagging. I realize that at some point my husband would probably clean off his desk, most likely in the case that he will be having visitors. I on the other hand like things neat and tidy and I can't stand the piles of paperwork and mail or the towers of half empty pop cans. I am a clean as I go kind of person, and I don't like the mess to get so out of control that it takes a whole weekend to clean. So I clean it up for him.

As I said, I like things neat and tidy and I like them a certain way. Chances are pretty good that if my husband does any kind of housework, I will be right behind him redoing what he's just done. He knows this, so why would he even bother?

The other thing many of us women are blamed of doing is nagging. What starts out as a simple request, turns into complete badgering when men don't respond in a timely manner. I admit it, I do it all the time and I don't even realize it. The problem here is that many men will find this nagging to sound much like listening to fingernails on a chalkboard, and will eventually completely tune you out.

I realize that there are many men out there who do their fair share of housework, and I am not at all bitter about my situation. I work for husband's business from home so I am afforded all the flexibility of a stay at home mom, but also the responsibilities. My job now is my house and that's fine for me, but for a two income household it would be unacceptable. So if you happen to be one of the lucky ladies out there that found a man that contributes to the housework of his own free will, then hang on to him! Those kind of men are few and far between.

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