Patch Poll: Does Splitting the Housework Ensure a Happy Home?
Results of a new study may surprise you, suggesting that couples who divide household chores equally are more likely to divorce. How do you handle the housework at home? What do you think?
She dusts and vacuums. He washes the dishes and takes out the trash. The couple that splits household chores, 50-50, is a couple that's likely to stay happy, right?
Wrong, according to a new report that suggests the divorce rate among couples who share housework equally is around 50 percent higher than in homes where women do most of the work.
The study, conducted in Norway, runs contrary to other surveys—never mind modern-day opinion—that suggest couples are more likely to stay together and describe themselves as happy in relationships where responsibility for home tasks is equally shared, according to a story in The Telegraph newspaper.
Apparently divvying up the chores in an organized structure results in a relationship that's more businesslike than romantic, according to the study. Who knew?
Researchers said they are surprised by the findings, but they said they're confident the results aren't unique to Norway and pertain to couples elsewhere.
Are you surprised, too? And how do you handle the housework in your home?
Do you have an equitable split, or does one partner bear a heavier burden when it comes to housework and child care?
Do you and your partner have it all worked out? Or do you still tend to bicker over who does what—and how much?
Take our poll, and let us know in the comments your thoughts on the study and the subject. Got photos of how you handle the housework? Feel free to post them and show us all how it's done.
jhonni
7:54 am on Sunday, September 30, 2012
correlation does not equal causation. I.e., this correlation on its own says nothing about the effect of divvying up chores on marital longevity.
NE12Ukid
11:03 am on Sunday, September 30, 2012
So true, jhonni! Next we'll hear that wearing red sox causes divorce because they polled 5000 people and asked if they ever wore red sox, and found that more of the people who did wear red sox were divorced.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/9572187/Couples-who-share-the-housework-are-more-likely-to-divorce-study-finds.html
Headline:
Divorce rates are far higher among “modern” couples who share the housework than in those where the woman does the lion’s share of the chores, a Norwegian study has found.
Now,
answer FAST!!!
Did a man or a woman determine this?
LOL
The survey appeared to contradict another recent one across seven countries including Britain that found that men who shouldered a bigger share of domestic responsibilities had a better sense of wellbeing and enjoyed a better work-life balance.
Probably some women involved in that one! :-)
Don
9:42 am on Sunday, September 30, 2012
I did all the housework, cooking, shopping, etc. for years, and she still complained. Divorcing her was the happiest day of my life. I still do all the housework, cooking, shopping, etc. but now I do it for someone who truly appreciates it ---- ME.
James Dale Barrington
10:16 am on Sunday, September 30, 2012
True, jhonni. Marital longevity is not the goal, but it can be a benefit to a couples relationship, no question. I did most of the work simply because my wife had chronic progressive MS and was not able to do it. It actually worked as my therapy session, you might say. Another benefit was that it held within it the magic of 'sameness in mind' between us. She complimented me even when I fudged a little bit. Between that and a 'date night' scheduled into our monthly agenda kept us talking about a lot of nonsense with each other. Was it perfect?? Hell no. It took the first 10 years of our marriage to start all over again. Ego, and all of it's brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers are an impossible group to live with everyday 24-7. Saying 'I do,' anyway, and doing it until you actually don't mind it any more is like doing a puzzle or painting by the numbers or playing a board game. You have to stay with it awhile before it becomes something you like doing. Working around the house may be part of that.
Emergency Denture Repair
1:08 pm on Sunday, September 30, 2012
Emergency Denture Repair(724)625-5454 why doesn't the study included total hours worked in & out of the house for the benifit of the family, and I think things would wager out alittle diff.in the results. Very poorly done study....
clint eastwood
1:15 pm on Sunday, September 30, 2012
My wife does the housework and I tell her what a good job she does at it ;-). 50/50
Piper
10:02 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
Been talking to that chair again?
Aste Al Centesimo
10:37 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
I think this strategy of slipping the housework is great. Clint, does your way of doing things really work?? I am trying to help my wife as much as possible. I honestly don't like seeing her doing everything by herself..!
Roger
8:02 pm on Monday, October 1, 2012
The entire question obfuscates the nature of a good marital relationship. It suggests that the relationship is supported by some split of household duties. Some even suggest 50/50.
Anybody who tries to build a good marriage on any 50/50 split will find their relationship in trouble. Marriage is a 100/100 effort on both parties. It matters not if the topic is household chores, or any other tasks. Unless each is in the relationship 100%, failure is most likely the outcome.
Bad question ...