With the cleaning craze still in full swing, you’ll likely have social media feeds full of people’s chore lists for the day.
One in particular, however, has sparked something of a backlash online, with the list-maker in question being accused of living a ’50s lifestyle’.
Aussie mum-of-four Brooke Smith posted in a Facebook group for parents that she often doesn’t get to bed until midnight, choosing instead to make sure all the housework is done first.
The night-time tasks she does include making lunches and making sure clothes are laid out for the family for the next day, as well as putting the dishwasher and the washing machine on.
Even if this takes until late in the night, Brooke then gets up at 4.30 am to make breakfast for her husband, before taking time for herself and putting makeup on.
Brooke, who is a stay at home mum and lives in Brisbane, concluded her post saying ‘happy mum equals happy household’ and that even if you don’t feel like housework, it’s good to do it so you feel more refreshed the morning after.
Brooke’s post garnered some extremely mixed responses, with some people praising her work ethic and others saying it ‘doesn’t sit right’.
Although Brooke’s husband works five to six days a week in construction, some felt that the chores were not equally split enough, and criticised Brooke’s routine.
‘Nope nope… sorry but no. I LOVE that you are willing and able to do this,’ said one, continuing, ‘But, yes my partner works, but he can help me contribute to a nice clean household, cause f**k me by the time he gets home I am lucky I haven’t pulled out all my hair from yelling at the kids all day to try to stop them from accidentally killing each other.
‘I’m lucky to get a shower in and last an hour past the kids’ bedtime. Then we are ALL up at 4am.’
Another commenter said: ‘I think it’s great you do it all, but you do need to share the workload, especially as you get older, teach the kids so that they know how to when they leave home.
‘It does give great satisfaction – tidy house, tidy mind.’
Brooke did clarify in later posts that much of her cleaning and organising was done to keep her mental health in check, saying ‘if I don’t do things for me and I don’t stay in a strict routine my mental health spirals’.
Many friends and family came out in support of Brooke, with one person saying: ‘Nothing wrong with you being the lady of the house and keeping it all under lock. It’s not for everyone but it works for your family.’
That really is the crux of the debate; what works for your family. Although Brooke may live a lifestyle not unlike women in decades past, the big difference nowadays is that she has the choice to do so.
So if she makes that choice, then we should hold off criticising her for it.
MORE: I didn’t think my OCD was severe enough to seek help
MORE: Mum sticks money to rubbish and hides it to test who actually does housework
source https://metro.co.uk/2020/02/06/mum-sparks-backlash-housework-list-sees-staying-midnight-getting-4-30am-make-husbands-breakfast-12192311/
0 Comments