Study Shows Doing Chores Together May Improve Marriage

Can sharing household chores with your partner strengthen your marriage? Researchers at the University of Missouri and Utah State suggest it might.

The study found doing chores together can improve a couple’s marriage, especially if Dad is spending time with the children.

Looking at the household habits of 160 couples, researchers examined the ways partners strengthened or hurt their marriages through their division of labor, especially right after a new child was born.

Researchers said the time right after birth is especially sensitive for parents because the volume of household chores multiplies dramatically — and unevenly.

The average man doubles his household chores after the birth of a child, but the average woman increases her workload by five times.

“Doing chores together can improve a couple’s marriage,

especially if Dad is spending time with the children.”

Researchers found there are two ways men can help bridge this gap and prevent marital friction after the birth of a child.

1. Men can spend time with their child.

Men who spent time with their child experienced more marital satisfaction than men who had a poor relationship with their child.

2. Men can perform chores alongside their wives.

Researchers noted the volume of work a man performs compared with the volume of work his wife performs is less important for marital satisfaction than her perception that the two are dividing labor equally.

“We found it didn’t matter who did what but how satisfied people were with the division of labor,” said study researcher Erin Holmes. “We found when wives are doing work together with their husbands, they are more satisfied with the division of labor.”

Source: BYU.edu. Photo source: corbisimages.com.