Division of Labour - Sick Days

Look, I know this has all been said before, and I don't want to come off as a giant middle class whinger - but  I'm agonna risk that to post this because I just can't resist.

Three days ago my husband was sick. I was working that day so here is what he did:

• got the kids ready and took them to before-school care where breakfast was provided for them (I'm going to throw in the bonus fact that he did pony-tails with unbrushed hair and sent M off in her summer dress and ankle socks on the coldest wettest day this autumn)
• slept in bed
• picked up kids from school
• turned on TV for kids
• lay in bed

Now when I think about it that is probably what you are SUPPOSED to do when you're sick - even if it means your partner has to rustle up dinner, feed the dog and cat, clean up the kitchen, sort schoolbags and prepare lunches and clothes when she gets home from work, and play ball with the dog in the backyard because he's been alone and outside and going mental all day.  And I still prepare the lunches, clothes and schoolbags, and feed the dog and cat in the morning.

Today I am sick. I have resolved to do NO housework, especially since I did a whole lot yesterday (emptied and cleaned appliances, baking and pots and pans cupboards, cleaned bath and toilet, usual baskets of washing, etc etc etc - what can I say, I'm a hero). So I left the vacuum cleaner sitting out where I had left it, refrained from picking up the crap from the floor that the kids had promised they wouldn't leave there, and did as little else as possible. 

But here is what I have done/am doing on the day I am sick:

• made school lunches
• sorted and packed schoolbags
• got kids up and ready for school, did breakfast, took them to school
• [skived off my classroom reading duties for today]
• bought few forgotten items from supermarket
• picked up kids' passports from the post office 
• phoned airline to sort out a problem with our tickets for our upcoming trip
• phoned Webjet to chase up the fee refund they owe me (for the third time)
• cooked dinner
• emptied and re-stacked dishwasher
• folded basket of laundry
• chucked schooldresses in dryer to "iron" them, then hung them up (yeah I'm counting this)
• prepared swimming bag
• pick up kids from school
• take kids to swimming, help them shower and wash and condition their hair
• [Y will heat and serve dinner ready for when we get home]
• read reader books with kids
• prepare next day's lunches
• go to bed at 9pm! (that's the plan anyway)

So what's the take-away? He's lazy but sensible and I'm a martyr and stupid?
Yes I think that's it. :-)


I've written two posts today  [can I count that as "work"?  ;-) ]
My other post was on how we divided our work when we were both working full-time. You can read it below this one, or here.

Thanks for visiting xx