What household chores do you do?

[merithyn]

I don't know about natural, but some housework is more enjoyable than others.  I do more of the cooking because I find it satisfying - providing food for the family, being a bit creative with what you cook.  I like doing yardwork because it gets you outside.

But I hate doing laundry - its just so dull and tedious.  My wife says she doesn't mind doing it - find it relaxing.  So to each their own.

Well sure, some jobs are more enjoyable than others, but natural and satisfying? Doesn't compute.

And it doesn't really matter how satisfying it is, it still needs to be done. I mean, if it works out that what you enjoy doing differs enough from what your partner enjoys doing, that's awesome. But what would happen if neither of you liked doing laundry?

In our house, NO ONE likes doing dishes. It's almost pathological for the kids, and I'm not far behind them. Nonetheless, it needs to be done daily, usually several times a day. (We don't have a working dishwasher, so they have to be done by hand.) Ultimately, either Max or I end up doing them just to get the damn things out of the way, but it really is a major chore even if it only takes 20 minutes to wash up the dinner dishes because we dislike them so much. I don't find it satisfying to do them - I despise them - but I still do them at least as often as Max, because I know that he hates them, too.

So the idea that daily chores are "unsatisfying" as an excuse not to do them is.. alien to me.

[merithyn]

And besides - all the great chefs are men anyways. 

Don't make me cut you.

[garbon]

Didn't I just say that I don't like to clean?

So is a natural state for humans - a big, jumbly mess?

Oh, I prefer a nice, clean house.  It just doesn't feel natural for me to clean it.  I do it, but I sort of feel lost doing it.

What do you mean by natural? From what you said to Meri it seems like you just mean you don't derive pleasure from it...?

I'm not sure how I can explain in any more detail how something does or does not feel natural, sorry.

Well presumably the word "natural" in this context means something to you, no?

[derspiess]

If you enjoy grilling and making chili, then you enjoy cooking.  You just need to expand your repertoire.  There's no difference between grilling a steak, and making any other kind of meal.  And besides - all the great chefs are men anyways. 

I used to sort of like cooking, but the wife sapped all that out of me.  Before I met her, every woman I ever cooked for always appreciated the effort even if I wasn't that skilled and took some shortcuts.  Found out pretty quickly with her that if I'm not going to make everything from scratch and get it right the first time, I may as well not even bother  

Outside of grilling, the only thing she lets me do is cut onions for her since they bother her eyes but have zero effect on me.

[derspiess]

Well presumably the word "natural" in this context means something to you, no?

I'm not always good at expressing my feelings

[Grey Fox]

Sometimes, I think I'm younger lefty version of ders.

[garbon]

Well presumably the word "natural" in this context means something to you, no?

I'm not always good at expressing my feelings

Use your words.

[garbon]

Sometimes, I think I'm younger lefty version of ders.

So not ders?

[Valmy]

I do the Laundry, I pick up, I clean the floors, I cook dinner, I clean up afterwards...heck I think I do at least half if not more of the housework.

It just seems absurd to not split it if both of you are working full time.

[derspiess]

Sometimes, I think I'm younger lefty version of ders.

How much younger?

[Grey Fox]

Sometimes, I think I'm younger lefty version of ders.

How much younger?

~15 years. I think you are 42, no?

[derspiess]

Sometimes, I think I'm younger lefty version of ders.

How much younger?

~15 years. I think you are 42, no?

Not too far off.  38

[Berkut]

My wife is a stay at home mom, so she does the bulk of the housework, I do most of the outside stuff.

Exception to this is dishes. She does the cooking, so I do the dishes. I don't really mind doing dishes, and I have kind of a pathological disgust with dirty dishes piled in the sink, s that works out.

This started back when we were both working - whoever cooked, the other one cleaned up. Since she stopped working, and now does almost all the cooking, I do all the dishes, mostly. If I cook (maybe once a week), then somehow I still do the dishes. Not sure how that works out.

My manhood is not tied up in housework though, so the idea that this could be emasculating is kind of weird.

I did get some grief at the in-laws though - I started doing the dishes after Thanksgiving dinner once, and both sister in laws were all "Wow, thanks! That sure is nice of you to help out" with pointed glares at their husbands. Both brother in laws were immediately all "Yeah, he is just showing off! I bet he never touches a dish at home!". They were a bit annoyed when the wife cooly said "Nope, he does almost all the dishes at home, actually. Why don't you guys help out?".

[derspiess]

For Thanksgiving I help clear the table, but after that my ass is planted on the couch watching football.  It's my God-given right.

[merithyn]

For Thanksgiving I help clear the table, but after that my ass is planted on the couch watching football.  It's my God-given right.

Ah, so you help cook the dinner then?