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Held 2
mops
Off the
Wall
April
3, 2008
While having a little chat with a member of our
church recently, I happened to mention that my daily activities
included housework. She kind of smiled, and looked over my way
and blurted out, "All men hate housework!" I told her
she was generalizing.
She prompted me to do something I haven't done for
a while conduct a survey. I asked, "Is it true or
false that men hate housework?" People actually came up
to me and wanted to be heard. It was wonderfully educational!
There were slightly more false answers than there
were true ones. I think the comments helped understand why people
arrived at their conclusions.
One lady told me, "The word all makes it false."
I agree there. Another told me, "I think men today are more
attuned to having to share the responsibilities."
Then came this return email. "I say 80%
hate housework, but recently when I stopped by a married friend's
house, her husband answered the door with two dust mops in his
hand. His wife was at a seminar and he felt he should be the
one to clean. I was IMPRESSED!"
I even got a note from my son who told me that's
not true at all. That made me feel good. I guess that must reflect
on good upbringing!
One man told me, "I love making something nice.
Cleaning carpets is my specialty."
A long-time friend told me, "My son loves to do housework.
And yet another woman told me her husband loves to vacuum. He
takes out the trash and pitches in even helping me with laundry.
One fellow told me he looks forward to laundering his clothes.
He considers it his quiet time, and gives him a chance to catch
up on his reading.
On the flip side, I can't help but make mention
of something a very close friend told me lately when I asked
if he helped his wife clean the house. His comeback was, "I
don't have to. My wife does it all!"
But I got similar answers from people from all walks
of life, from the professionals to the retired, the poor to the
wealthy.
One woman told me her 22 year-old son won't do anything
including making his bed. "He just doesn't want to do it."
I asked her if she does it for him. "I have to"
Since I was having so much fun meeting people, I
decided to ask employees at one doctor's office a question that
got a quick response from all three women. "Do you
love to go grocery shopping? They harmonized in unison
"NO!" Then I told them I loved to shop. One of the
other ladies in the waiting area jumped right in and commented,
"My husband loves to shop, too."
Now, am I about to stick myself out on a limb and
say "All women hate to grocery shop?" No way! It would
be stupid for me to generalize, and state all people feel one
way or the other when it just ain't so.
The receptionist at the doctor's office told me
her husband has become a sticker person. He can't believe how
much difference there is in prices now that he shops comparatively.
But another woman told me she does the shopping
because her husband has three jobs. "He doesn't have time
to do it."
Face it, there are always going to be people
who fancy some things and not others.
As for me and housework? Don't mind it - if I'm
not pushed and can do it in my time.
Paul J. Volkmann
2/22/08
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