Men, Women, and Household Chores

The data has been examined, the results tallied, and the conclusions reached: Men create more housework for women. Although he may mow the lawn, shovel snow, or tinker with repairs here and there, a husband adds seven hours per week to the load of chores conducted around the house. The information comes via the analysis of time diaries and questionnaires from men and women from regions all across the US between 1996 and 2005.

Of the people surveyed, single women in their twenties and thirties did the least amount of housework, with roughly twelve hours per week. On the other hand, married women did the most, about seventeen hours on average.

Marriage means more work for women and less for men. In addition, the situation worsens when children come on the scene. With three kids, the wives took on twenty-eight hours of chores per week, while hubbies did only ten.

There were some surprises, too. Older men were more likely than younger men to pitch in, even though surveys from thirty years ago showed that men contributed only six hours per week to household chores. Women in their sixties and seventies still did the most amount of work. Single women did the least amount, or about twelve hours each week.So what does it all mean?

Women have traditionally adopted more responsibility around the house, and the sphere of work and careers has been relegated to men. Despite equal rights and better career opportunities for women, traditional patterns remain taken for granted by both sexes.

Post-Comprehension:

Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your answers!

1. How much work do you do around the house each week? What kind of chores do you do? Please explain.
2. Why do you think men do fewer chores than women? Please explain.
3. Would you ever consider becoming a house husband? (Or would you want your spouse to become one?)
4. How will the results of future surveys change in another thirty years? Why do you think so?
5. If housework were a job that paid money, what would be a fair hourly wage? Please explain.

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