Taking your partner for granted

I am going absolutely crazy here! My wife is now 7 months pregnant and I am trying to learn how to use the washing machine and how to use an iron. (I thought an iron was a golf club). I have to familiarise myself with dusters, the mop, the hoover, the washing line, tumble dryer and the dishwasher
Add the nappy-changing duties (diapers), bath-time and how to make bows in daughters hair! :banghead

I am really struggling now :cry then there is how to make the beds and folding the sheets this way and that. :banghead :banghead
The list goes on and on........

I shall never take my wife for granted again

 

Hi ya Grumbs iv had to pull weight a bit more so I feel for you 'bro'-
I gotta go shoppin Emms watchin babies "2" PCs haha
You'l do jus fine ......You hav'nt got time for puta....
Whip whip back to work [breaks over] I wish i could give you a hand!!!Keep ya chin up;Gets harder from ere in!!!

 

Emma's Babysitter services LOL

 

Don't, I repeat DON"T ever say that.
You'll be working two jobs and selling blood. :eek

 

I feel for you. I have 4 little girls AND the wife to deal with. I am soooo outnumbered.:cry Appearantly I worked on a nuclear reactor with out my knowledge. At least that's what I tell everyone when they say "ALL GIRLS!?!?".

 

Don't worry grumbles, women tend to really appreciate it when the man takes on these duties, I know mine does

I used to be embarrassed to say I'm a 'househusband', but now I'm proud of it, plus the look on her face :drool when she comes home to clean clothes, house, and a hot meal is totally worth it :-D

 

Welcome to the world of 'Mr. Mom'. I've been doing it for 27+ years. (Yep, I'm done with ironing too, unless it's something that really, really needs it). Well, you can't say life's not an education.

...Maybe so, but they still tend to crap themselves regularly. rolleyes

 

I know it seems overwhelming. You are doing just fine, I'm sure. Here is some small hints to help you along ... if your daughter is old enough, give her some simple thing to help you along and keep her busy. Don't allow clothes to sit in dryer .. take them out and fold them or hang them till you are ready to iron. If you give your kitchen floor a quick wipe with the mop at night, it will be much more easier to keep it clean. For dusting ... spray your cloth not the furniture. It goes on much evenly and it will collect the dust better. A vacuum cleaner can also help with dusting if you are behind ... look for the horse hair attachment. Rinse dishes after use, will aid with food removal that dishwasher won't get off.

The most important ... take a few minutes every night, give your wife some TLC and tell her how much you love her and appreciate her.

 

She's not the only one. All women do. Reason: We're raised/brainwashed into deeply believing that we HAVE to do all those things and that they will never be done if we don't.

Regardless of what we say and do, that programming is so ingrained in our minds that even if we never, ever, do these things, if any person levels criticism against our home in any way, it doesn't matter if our male partner has been the one in charge of all domestic duties for the past decade, we are still the ones feeling guilty and ashamed. Because keeping the house is our moral obligation as women, and our worth as human beings depend on it. This is not intentional, it is a very subconscious and devious/sneaky process, but as long as motherhood and home-making is a female ideal, that way of thinking will remain.

Personally, I hate this mindset and make a point of staying away from it. But that doesn't change the fact that it's there, and that my life would be less stressful if I didn't have to feel guilty over how much nicer my home could be, when I have visitors. It's not a pig sty. It's not a mess. It just could be better. And as long as it could, that means I could do better too. So when my chosen life partner helps me keep the house nice, I love him all the more for putting in that extra effort. Not because it keeps our home pleasant, but because it takes stress out of my life.

 

Also often a sign of pretentiousness, i.m.h.o. Not that an immaculate home and garden necessarily means anything other than wanting nice place to live, but often it's just a cosmetic covering for a not so happy and ideal life. Usually, (but not always), if it seems too perfect on the surface, it's because it isn't.

 

Thank you all for the kind messages/suggestions

Obviously a lot of thought has been put into your threads and now I have a little bit more confidence to 'get stuck in'.
Practice makes perfect I suppose, so I started today with washing the inside of the windows and end up with a 'dead' arm LOL I needed at least 4 cup of coffee to keep me going!
Off to mop the kitchen floor now before bed :zzz

G