It takes a very interesting look at what many, including probably myself, think of as the ideal – mom and dad working 30ish flexible hours and sharing equally the housework and parenting.

Life, and the other people that exist in it – like your boss and his boss – intrude on the ideal, of course.

Statistics show that even though women are working more they are still doing twice the housework and the same amount of childcare they were doing before. In other words, it’s not so equal in real life.

Many blame this on centuries of ingrained gender roles that are deep as DNA and hard to shake.

The article takes a fascinating look at how lesbian couples manage the work, household chores and childcare. Take gender out of the equation and what happens? It’s much more equal – but they work at it.

Also interesting is the biggest indicator of who does more work or plays what roles is your FRIENDS.

Evidently, peer pressure effects more than whether you will take the hit off the bong in high school. It also effects whether you will keep your job or quit, whether you expect him to do the dishes or you don’t, whether he takes the kids to the park or puts them to bed or mops the floor. The biggest indicator is what your other couple friends are doing and what roles they are playing in their marriages. Isn’t that odd? And fascinating?

Maybe I’ll reevaluate my friendships in that light.

Go check out When Mom and Dad Share It All by Lisa Belkin. You’ll find a family-labor issue you can relate to.

Post from: Blisstree

Equal Families – NY Times