The inter-webs are all up in arms this week about Toronto’s gender neutral baby. Which got me thinking about some of society’s built in gender assignments. As Chef Dad on an UrbanMoms website I’m asked all the time if I’m comfortable as a man (1) in the kitchen and (2) on an all-mommy website?
While the answer to both is certainly ‘Yes, entirely.’ – it got me to thinking about some of our preconceived gender biases. So, off the top of my head – in your household:
- who shovels the driveway?
- who drives when the family is going out on the weekend?
- who bbq’s?
- who vacuums?
- who loads the dishwasher?
- who bathes kids?
- who clothes shops?
- who grocery shops?
- who mows the lawn?
- who packs the kids lunches?
Our answers were:
- driveway? Dad
- driving on the weekend? Dad
- who bbq’s? Dad!
- who vacuums? Dad
- who loads the dishwasher? Both
- who bathes kids? Both
- who clothes shops? Mom
- who grocery shops? Dad
- who mows the lawn? Dad
- who packs the kids lunches? Both
who shovels the driveway? DAD
who drives when the family is going out on the weekend? BOTH
who bbq’s? BOTH
who vacuums? MOM
who loads the dishwasher? BOTH
who bathes kids? MOM
who clothes shops? MOM
who grocery shops? MOM
who mows the lawn? DAD
who packs the kids lunches? school
Oh fun!!
1)who shovels? BOTH
2) who drives? BOTH (I don’t drink. I also do not drive on the highway)
3) who bbq’s? DAD
4) who vacuums? BOTH
5) who loads the dishwasher? BOTH
6) who bathes kids? BOTH
7) who clothes shops? MOM
8) who grocery shops? BOTH
9) who mows the lawn? DAD
10) who packs the kids lunches? MOM
1.driveway? condo
2.driving on the weekend? me
3.who bbq’s? me
4.who vacuums? cleaning lady ( i know…I know)
5.who loads the dishwasher? kid
6.who bathes kids? me
7.who clothes shops? me
8.who grocery shops? me
9.who mows the lawn? condo – and moving to house with artificial grass!
10.who packs the kids lunches? school!!!!!
In our house, Dad bbqs, drives, vacuums, bathes kids, grocery shops, and mows the lawn (though usually our neighbour does it).
Mom clothes shops and packs lunches/snacks. (This makes me look lazy, but I also do all the laundry and the rest of the cleaning like floors and bathrooms, the tucking in, the night wakings… you know.)
And we share the shoveling and dishwasher duties.
1. Dad, usually, Mom sometimes.
2. Both – Dad on highways, Mom in cities.
3. Both
4. Both
5. Both
6. Mom mostly, Dad sometimes
7. Mom
8. Mom
9. Dad
10. Dad