Dinto and Sherin are a married couple. Both are employed professionals. They go to the office and return home together. But once they reach home, things change. Without even changing his clothes, Dinto sits in front of the TV. Otherwise, he’ll be chatting with someone on the phone. Sherin, on the other hand, changes her clothes and heads straight to the kitchen.
When she sees Dinto glued to the TV or his phone, she gets extremely irritated. If she occasionally calls him into the kitchen for some help, Dinto doesn’t like it. When he refuses to come or gets annoyed, Sherin also feels upset.
The names of these characters may change, but a similar situation repeats in most families. While the wife works in the kitchen, the husband sits watching TV or using his mobile. The reason behind the wife’s anger is that she doesn’t get the same free time as her husband. Researchers say there are scientific reasons behind this frustration. A study conducted by researchers at the University of California in the United States found that when husbands relax or entertain themselves while wives are doing household chores, the wives’ cortisol levels increase significantly. Cortisol is a stress hormone. This shows that there is a connection between the division of household work and mental stress.
What is the solution to this problem?
In many families, this issue leads to conflicts between couples. How can this be avoided? The wife thinks: “I also go to work like my husband. After coming back, I still have to do household chores. Meanwhile, he just relaxes at home. How is that fair? Can’t he at least help me?” This is a valid question. The problem is not that the husband is resting, but that he is not helping with the work.
Therefore, the only way to avoid such issues is to share household responsibilities. Even though we talk about gender equality, our families have not yet achieved such equality when it comes to housework. As a result, women face significant stress. At the same time, studies show that when husbands help with household tasks, women’s cortisol levels decrease and they feel more energetic.
So, to make a family life harmonious, husbands must also help their wives in the kitchen. Divide kitchen work equally. If the husband doesn’t know how to cook, he can do tasks like cleaning. When one person works while the other rests, it weakens emotional closeness. But when both work together, it strengthens their emotional bond. This means sharing all responsibilities of the family.
