health
The one change that worked: my husband and I created a simple and life-changing parenting rota
Like many couples, my husband and I bickered over who would do what and who did more. We came up with a radical solution
TL;DR
- The author and her husband developed a new parenting system after the birth of their second child in 2021.
- Initial attempts to divide tasks using a spreadsheet led to resentment, with more tasks falling to the author.
- The concept of "mental load" highlighted the invisible labor often managed by mothers.
- The couple decided to divide the day into morning and afternoon/evening shifts.
- The husband is responsible for mornings (breakfast, school drop-off), and the author for afternoons/evenings (pickup, dinner, bedtime).
- This system allows parents to fully commit to their shift and offers mental freedom when off duty.
- The author, who also runs a literary agency, works in the evenings after the children are in bed.