Someone, somewhere, had the great idea to declare April 7 National No Housework Day! That person, no doubt a harried housewife, deserves a medal. Coincidentally, it is also National Beer Day, which is an intriguing coincidence. Perhaps it’s an invitation for women to say, “It’s five o’clock somewhere,” and sip a cold one while watching the kids and the husband pick up their mess for a change!
According to the National Science Foundation, research shows that women of all ages who do not have children spend an average of 10 hours per week on household chores. Once they wed, they dedicate an average of 17 hours a week to cleaning house. Unmarried men, however, spend eight hours a week on household chores and, after marrying, a mere seven! It appears that gender roles haven’t changed much, and that men tend to kick back a bit after marriage.
The statistics don’t get better with children. When women have three kids, they spend about 28 hours on household chores every week, while their spouses spend only 10 helping out.
And yet, the majority of women, moms especially, feel that a woman’s housework is never done! I say let’s go on strike and embrace no housework day on April 7. I know, I hear you… You can’t let it all go, you say, because it will only make it that much harder the next day. If you can hardly keep up as it is, one day of not vacuuming or picking up after the family and next thing you know, you’re featured on the TV show Hoarders!
Well, let me tell you, even God took a break one day out of the week, so you certainly deserve one day off out of the whole year !
Read Related: How to Clean Your Home in 20 Minutes
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS FOR NATIONAL NO HOUSEWORK DAY
1. Thou shalt not make the beds in the morning, even if it drives you crazy to see them unmade the rest of the day.
2. Thou shalt coerce your spouse or children into making the beds if it’s really driving you nuts to see them unmade.
3. Thou shalt not do the laundry and shall instead encourage your kids and spouse to pull out the least smelly and dirty outfit from the hamper and wear it. Or, to do the laundry themselves.
4. Honor thy inner Goddess and take a luxurious soapy bath, after which thou shall certainly not wipe off the bathtub.
5. Thou shalt utilize paper cups and plates and forsake considering the well-being of the environment for one day. Today, your well-being is more important. (But recycle, of course!)
6. Thou shalt refrain from cooking and shall instead order take-out, or splurge and go out to dinner.
7. Do unto others as they do to you: undress as you walk into your room, kick off your shoes and leave your clothes lying on the floor. Expect someone else to pick up after you and see what happens.
8. Thou shalt not run out to restock the refrigerator or pantry when you realize there is no milk for breakfast.
9. Thou shalt give a to-do list to children and spouse, that includes every single chore you do on any given day.
10. Thou shalt pop open a cold one in observance of National Beer Day as you revel in No Housework Day by not doing any chores whatsoever! Enjoy!
