Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Chores are a sore subject at home even at the best of times. But during the pandemic… well, it can be a real source of tension when you’re seemingly doing everything all by yourself. From working from home while helping the kids study via Zoom and then tidying up the entire home while making dinner. It’s exhausting.

So it’s no wonder that some moms have had enough. One of them is Twitter user Miss Potkin who conducted a fun little experiment at home. She decided that enough is enough and stopped doing chores, hoping to see how long it would be before someone picked up the slack.

It’s fun, it’s educational, and we’d love to get David Attenborough to narrate the entire story below. Have a look, dear Pandas, and be sure to let us know if you plan to do anything similar at your home. Oh, and we’d love to hear which chores you hate and love to do the most (I adore doing the dishes but loathe vacuuming myself).

A mom documented how her family reacted after she secretly stopped doing all of the chores at home

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Her tweets are absolutely hilarious and read like a mini-documentary

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Her family have resorted to using whatever clean utensils are around

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Progress, however, was inevitable sooner or later

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

However, there are plenty of other areas where everyone could stand to pitch in a bit more

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

We feel you, Miss Potkin. Empty containers make us anxious, too

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

The sausage of death. pic.twitter.com/a8DcDulfFT
— Miss Potkin (@MissPotkin) March 18, 2021

Image credits: MissPotkin

Unwashed plates being left behind everywhere is a pet peeve of ours, as well as the Twitter user’s

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

God give me strength. pic.twitter.com/Sp5870VmcV
— Miss Potkin (@MissPotkin) March 18, 2021

Someone just discovered the joy of scraping rock hard old cereal off a bowl. Big day, BIG, huge. pic.twitter.com/gitNEI55xz
— Miss Potkin (@MissPotkin) March 18, 2021

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

It’s taken a while, but it looks like Miss Potkin’s family members have gotten the clue

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

pic.twitter.com/HRZH72qaGG
— Miss Potkin (@MissPotkin) March 18, 2021

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

There’s even been some progress in the toilet paper department at home

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

The changes at home have been magnificent. It just took a bit of time

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Hurray! A wholesome ending to the story!

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: MissPotkin

Bored Panda spoke about how to stop arguments over chores from spinning out of control with relationship expert Dan Bacon, the founder of The Modern Man. Dan was upfront that we all need to adjust to the unique situation (i.e. the Covid-19 pandemic that’s been going on for over a year) we’re in.

Dan approached the topic by pointing out that some guys believe it’s ‘unmanly’ to do chores. However, he put their worries at rest. “If a man isn’t normally at home during the day and his girlfriend or wife does most of the cleaning and chores, but he is now working from home all day and is at home all weekend, it’s not unmanly for him to help out here and there around the house.”

The relationship expert even opened up about his own living situation. “Personally speaking, I work full-time hours from home every day and my wife does the cooking, cleaning, and takes care of our twin baby girls. Yet, due to the fact that we can’t go out on weekends or catch up with friends during the week due to the Covid-19 lockdown, we are housebound the entire week.”

He continued: “This means I have a lot more spare time on weekends than usual. As a result, I have done some of the chores when I’ve felt that I had some additional spare time (e.g. occasionally cleaning up the kitchen and lounge room) as well as doing my normal chores of taking out the garbage and feeding our cats.”

In Dan’s particular situation, his wife never had to ask him to do the extra chores. He’s been chipping in on his own accord because “it doesn’t feel right to be spending all my extra time watching TV, playing video games, or talking to friends on the phone while she works all weekend.”

The relationship expert said that couples need to adapt to the pandemic and do their best to solve any chore-related issues in a friendly way instead of attacking or blaming one another for not doing enough.

“If you get into the habit of coming from a place of attacking the other person, the relationship and the love that binds you together will weaken over time,” he said. “Eventually, after many months or years of unhappiness and built-up resentment, the slightest thing can set off a huge argument that leads to a break-up.”

Here’s how some people reacted to the mom’s thread on Twitter. Not everyone enjoyed the social experiment

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: smalltown_wife

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: anomaly_spatial

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: DawnA2768

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: its_daqueen

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: GKangurs

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

Image credits: WelshChris1

Meanwhile, in an earlier interview with Bored Panda, Eddy Ng, the James and Elizabeth Freeman Professor of Management at Bucknell University, told us how the pandemic has unfairly affected working women.

“Women, even those in professional and managerial jobs, continue to take on a second shift (caring for family) after the first shift at the office. We continue to subscribe to gender roles, even in many egalitarian societies,” he explained.

Professor Ng said that this explains the “persistent pay gap and an underrepresentation of women in senior management and higher-paying jobs.” He added that during the lockdowns, men’s higher-paying careers have been prioritized over women’s which are seen as “supplemental income” even in Western countries.

“Women reorganize their work around family demands, men often do not. Unequal division of labor is exacerbated when a family could no longer access paid help (COVID restrictions), and women will have to pick up the slack.”

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Read less »

I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

Read less »

What do you think ?

POST

Marianne 3 years ago

Some people criticized that she should communicate her needs instead of being passive-agressive. From what she writes, she communicated her needs over and over and her family didn't change their behavior. So what she did was totally justified and also hilarious. Also it should not be her responsibility to carry all the mental load. If there are dishes to be cleaned, she should not have to remind people to load the dishwater and also actually start it!

126points

Zaza 3 years ago

Yea and wtf is up with her having to ask him for "help"? When tf did chores become her sole responsibility? He can do chores, she doesn't need to ask him

79points

Load More Replies...

StrawberryParfait 3 years ago

Telling women to cOMmuNiCaTe is just another form of gaslighting in relationships. Don't fall for it, ladies. Women are fantastic at communicating. And men know perfectly well how to understand. They just choose not to when it suits them. Her husband should have been pitching in and doing his share, and telling the lazy children to do theirs as well. She should have checked herself into a nice hotel with a spa and stayed away until her ungrateful family changed their bullshit ways.

23points

Aroace tiger 3 years ago (edited)

Agreed its sad their family just didn't do anything

4points

Grumble O'Pug 3 years ago

In my family as a kid we were lazy butts, but we did get the regular come-to-jesus and do stuff. I am less lazy because of it, but I see her point.

3points

Ms.GB 3 years ago

Absolutely! I get so tired of having to ask for any tiny little thing to get done and then I feel like I'm nagging. I asked 3 times for the cat box to be cleaned before it got done and I almost caved and did it myself. I have tried this method but I can't make it longer than 2 days..

1point

Jen Cook 3 years ago (edited)

Yes! That is just what I came here to say. I'm shocked by how many people actually judged the state of her marriage off this. It's 3 days and it worked, even if she has to ask now, they will respond and there is some kind of respect. People who don't think that their candy wrappers and toilet paper magically end up where they should is a lesson that sometimes needs a reminder. She wasn't doing it to simply be spiteful, she had fun with it and it's her home and family, she's a better judge of what works in her own dang home.

0points

Katy F 3 years ago

For those of you saying she should've just asked the husband instead of doing this. She has probably been asking him for too long and got tired of having to remind him to do these chores all the time. Some moms just want contribution from others in the house without having to remind someone every day.

53points

Leo Domitrix 3 years ago

We shouldn't need to remind them. it's EVERYONE's home, ergo everyone chips in ----- my mom taught me that. Never worked on my dad, but she did teach me, at least!

32points

Load More Replies...

Lilith the Demon Panda 3 years ago

"hey, babe, I'm tired, can you help with the dishes?" are you f*****g kidding me? hell no he can't "help with the *whatever*"... it's HIS dishes too, he's supposed to DO them, not HELP with them... that's the same bullshit as "babysitting your own kids" all over again

36points

Load More Comments

POST

Marianne 3 years ago

126points

Zaza 3 years ago

Yea and wtf is up with her having to ask him for "help"? When tf did chores become her sole responsibility? He can do chores, she doesn't need to ask him

79points

Load More Replies...

StrawberryParfait 3 years ago

23points

Aroace tiger 3 years ago (edited)

Agreed its sad their family just didn't do anything

4points

Grumble O'Pug 3 years ago

In my family as a kid we were lazy butts, but we did get the regular come-to-jesus and do stuff. I am less lazy because of it, but I see her point.

3points

Ms.GB 3 years ago

1point

Jen Cook 3 years ago (edited)

0points

Katy F 3 years ago

53points

Leo Domitrix 3 years ago

We shouldn't need to remind them. it's EVERYONE's home, ergo everyone chips in ----- my mom taught me that. Never worked on my dad, but she did teach me, at least!

32points

Load More Replies...

Lilith the Demon Panda 3 years ago

36points

Load More Comments

Woman Stops Doing Chores, Sees How Long Her Family Will Last Until They Do It Themselves

A mom documented how her family reacted after she secretly stopped doing all of the chores at home

Her tweets are absolutely hilarious and read like a mini-documentary

Her family have resorted to using whatever clean utensils are around

Progress, however, was inevitable sooner or later

However, there are plenty of other areas where everyone could stand to pitch in a bit more

We feel you, Miss Potkin. Empty containers make us anxious, too

Unwashed plates being left behind everywhere is a pet peeve of ours, as well as the Twitter user’s

It’s taken a while, but it looks like Miss Potkin’s family members have gotten the clue

There’s even been some progress in the toilet paper department at home

The changes at home have been magnificent. It just took a bit of time

Hurray! A wholesome ending to the story!

Here’s how some people reacted to the mom’s thread on Twitter. Not everyone enjoyed the social experiment

Games

Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Mindaugas Balčiauskas

Mindaugas Balčiauskas