A viral TikTok video exposes a saddening level of inequality that many wives and moms face in heterosexual relationships.

Lynalice Bandy, known on the platform as @5kids5catssomedogstoo, shared a time-lapse revealing the chaos of her home after working six consecutive 10-hour days, while her husband did nothing to help.

The rooms were left in disarray with toys, food, and laundry scattered everywhere, and Bandy’s story is a vivid reminder for men to take on their fair share of domestic duties.

In one of her TikTok videos, Lynalice Bandy showcases what disparity in household responsibilities between spouses looks like

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

After working six consecutive 10-hour days, Bandy found a scene of absolute chaos, highlighting her husband’s lack of contribution

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Frustrated and exhausted, Bandy reaches her breaking point and makes a courageous decision to divorce her husband

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Gary Becker, the Nobel-winning economist, proposed a theory that, in the past, marriage was about efficiency: husbands specialized in earning and wives in homemaking and child-rearing.

But things have changed. In the United States, 46.6% of the workforce is female. However, they still fulfill a larger share of responsibilities.

In different-sex relationships, women do around 65% of the physical household work. Chores that are routine – for example, cooking and cleaning – tend to fall to women, while intermittent chores, such as sorting out finances or mowing the lawn, are more likely to be done by men.

Add the burden of cognitive labor, like remembering birthdays and organizing play dates, which also disproportionately falls to women in heterosexual relationships, and the load gets exhausting pretty fast.

You can tell that she really cares about her household and puts in a lot of effort despite her extensive work schedule

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Image credits: 5kids5catssomedogstoo

Bandy’s TikTok has since gone viral

@5kids5catssomedogstoo #divorce #parentingfail #messyhouse #whenwomen #depressionanxiety #clean #satifying ♬ SUN GOES DOWN – Andreas Roehrig

Eve Rodsky, an attorney and author of Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live), was also experiencing an unfair division of household labor, which she said made her feel a sense of “seething resentment” toward her husband.

However, Rodsky emphasized that it doesn’t have to be this way and that it’s actually possible to divide domestic tasks fairly if partners are willing to put in the effort, and it can help reduce stress at home and give back precious time to both. Everything starts with candid conversations about domestic contributions and a reevaluation of what matters in your home.

She and Jacqueline Misla, a lifestyle coach and co-host of Curious Fox, a love and relationship podcast, shared a practical guide on how to divvy up, prioritize, and assign chores and the steps look like this:

• List every chore and errand. Set aside time to draw up the list and do it in a place that’s easy for everyone to see and access, like a shared notes app, a spreadsheet, or a whiteboard. Include essential tasks like washing dishes or taking the kids to school and errands like grocery shopping or picking up the dry cleaning but don’t forget to add tasks that might be less visible, such as coordinating carpools or writing thank you cards;
• Narrow down the list. Once you have the list, discuss each item with your partner or your housemate. Go through the tasks and note who’s been typically responsible for each one. Create a shortlist of essential duties and cut unnecessary tasks. Then set clear expectations of how and when a task should be done. However, stay flexible. Your chore list is bound to change;
• Assign the tasks. While you may not be able to divide the chores exactly 50-50, aim for a workload that feels fair to each member of the household. Own the tasks you love and share the ones that feel the most burdensome;
• Be fully responsible for your duties. Don’t expect your significant other or roommate to pick up the slack if you can’t complete the task. It’s your responsibility to account for what you need and they are depending on you.

But of course, everything is much harder or even impossible when the other person simply isn’t listening.

@5kids5catssomedogstooSounds about right…♬ Fuck you by Lily Allan – Jessica🧚‍♀️✨

Bandy’s video has garnered immense support from thousands of women who empathize with her experience

Games

View all games

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!

Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda!