It’s been said that we can often find inspiration while doing monotonous or mechanical activities.
Even renowned crime writer, Agatha Christie, famously revealed she found inspiration while washing dishes, saying that doing routine tasks helped to free her mind.
Though, not everyone shares her enthusiasm for dishwashing, as evidenced by a recent conflict between a Reddit user, u/ApplicationOdd8566, and her husband.
The Redditor, a woman in her thirties with a husband and a 4-year-old son, shared her frustration regarding household chores. Despite her love for cooking, she found herself solely responsible for washing dishes after meals.
“I don’t typically make things that take 100 dishes or leave a massive mess but there’s usually a couple of pots and pans, some utensils, and a cutting board,” the woman wrote. “After I plate up our meals and serve we all eat together. My son is old enough to rinse his plate and put it in the dishwasher. My husband always does the same.”
She continued by saying she eventually had a discussion with her husband, where she asked him whether he’d be able to do the dishes instead as she was tired from cooking – especially since she works full-time, as does her husband.
“He says that since I made the mess I should deal with it myself. I was mad but didn’t ask again,” she wrote.
Frustrated by her husband’s response, the woman decided to get some pretty petty (but well-deserved) revenge on her husband.
“The next night I made dinner that was just enough for me and my son. None for husband. He was confused. I told him if he wasn’t going to do his part for the meal then he could make his own,” she said. “I think this is fair! If he thinks cleaning our dishes from our shared meal that I worked to make then he can handle his own food!”
The situation sparked a discussion about household responsibilities and fairness. In an article for Wren Kitchens, experts have suggested that sharing household chores, including cooking and dishwashing, can strengthen relationships and improve communication between partners. However, sociological studies indicate that women still bear the brunt of household chores, with men contributing less overall.
In response to the Reddit post, many users agreed that the husband’s behavior was unfair and praised the woman for her response.
One person commented their own advice, writing: “My husband and I always have shared the responsibility. One of us cooks and the other cleans up and when our children were old enough they pitched in too. Our kitchen is not a restaurant, you’re not getting a full service meal.”
Another added: “By your husband’s logic you should also stop doing his laundry, making his side of the bed, and any other household chores that involve things he uses.”
A further Redditor chimed in with: “I think more women should go on strike this way. If he isn’t going to help, then he can just feed himself. Not sure why this is even a problem.”
Overall, this conflict only served to highlight how important it is to balance household responsibilities – especially if it helps in maintaining healthy relationships.