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How Can Doing The Housework Save Your Marriage?

According to a new Norwegian study, divorce rates are much higher between new age couples that evenly distribute household chores compared to those where the woman does the entire workload around the house. Appearing to be a defiant slap in the face for gender quality campaigners, the study revealed that marriages where cleaning, ironing and other chores were undertaken by the women, were 50 per cent more likely to end in divorce compared to those where the women undertook the majority of the work.

The report shows that sharing the household upkeep doesn’t necessary contribute to a relationship, and that the lack of correlation between equal rights in the home and quality of life was surprising. Researchers assumed that more break-ups would occur in families with less equality in the home, however the study statistics revealed the complete opposite, clearing showing that the more a man undertakes work in the home, the higher the chance of the couple getting divorced.

Partial Blame

Additionally, the reasons for divorce sat only partially with the household chores themselves. Many people believe that within the home, it’s good to have definitive, clear roles for each person. Apart from providing clarity, couples don’t tend to step on each other’s toes as much. When couples feel that their partner isn’t pulling their weight around the house, then that’s when arguments occur, but when responsibilities are clearly stated, then both parties can work in harmony.

Furthermore, researchers believe that the results show more important reasons for the higher divorce rate that stem from modern couples themselves instead of the household work they share. Women in new age couples are more likely to be equipped with a high level of education and well-paid jobs, meaning they are more financially responsible. Modern couples believe that when things are tough, they will be able to live life much easier if they separate with the help of companies like www.switalskisfamilylaw.co.uk.

Norwegian Families

The research also shone light into the responsibilities of Norwegian families, as up to 70 per cent of couples equally shared childrearing. However when it came to the house work, women were the main grafters in 7 out of 10 couples, and described themselves as ‘happy’ when stating their role in the relationship. Dr Frank Furedi, professor at the University of Canterbury believes that the study is extremely accurate, as household chore-sharing took place with couples from middle-class backgrounds, a social class that is known to have high divorce rates.

Dr Furedi also believes that the people from these middle-class backgrounds are more sensitive to equality, and like to make sure that everything is formal, contractual and laid out. The couples that organise their correspondence and regulate schedules and diaries feel like their part of a business instead of a loving, intimate relationship. As time goes on, this encourages conflict of interests instead of finding common ground and harmonious resolutions.

The survey did appear to conflict with a recent study that was undertaken across seven countries, which revealed that men had a bigger and more involved sense of wellbeing when they shouldered a bigger share of household chores. They also had a better work-life balance too.