CHAPTER VI – HOUSEWORK

The newly married man of today faces challenges unknown to his father and grandfather.  Sexual equality has pushed him towards the domain of housework, previously the preserve of his wife; interestingly, without reciprocity in the fields of car washing and mowing the lawns.

But not to despair.  The keynote here is “Managing Expectations”.

A rookie will be tempted to make a good impression on his first sortie into domestic science.  But it would, indeed, be a schoolboy error.

Rather, he should do enough that his wife thinks, “Ah, that’s sweet.  He’s made an effort”.  As like as not she’ll pick up where you left off and do the job properly.  Having achieved this, you’re halfway there to planting the thought in her mind, “I might as well do it myself”.

But so much for generalities.  This week we’ll consider vacuum cleaning.

1. Always make sure that you visibly disturb the nap of the carpet demonstrating clearly that you’ve hoovered there.
2. Move furniture an inch or two so its footprint suggests that you’ve hoovered under it.
3. Ensure the hoover’s cable is wound more untidily around it than you found it.
4. BONUS POINT – Squirt a little furniture polish into the air.

NEXT WEEK – BUYING THINGS IN SECRET