Zut alors! Who’s doing the chores?

October 14th, 2007

There’s a saying that “many hands make light work”. There’s another one that says “a woman’s work is never done”. A new report just out which I read about in the Independent on Sunday, reported gleefully that the French do less housework than anyone else. However, the article also noted that in Britain, women do 71% of all the housework - more than twice as much as men. I can’t say I am that surprised at this really, and I think it comes down to the fact that in essence women care more about it, so do more about it. Since I don’t actually know everyone in the UK , I’ll just have to rely on sweeping generalisations here, but I think it fair to say women do housework in case someone pops round, whereas men do it only if someone is coming round. And then only if that person is a prospective partner or their own mother. Or that prospective partner’s mother. 

Of course, when it comes to housework, analysing the time spent is one way of looking at the issue, but of course this ignores the quesion of efficiency. One reader of the Independent on Sunday blog - male, French and writing in French, so excuse my translation - has suggested that if French people do indeed spend less time on housework, maybe it is because they work that much more efficiently.  Top answer Pierre, and one I must remember next time my wife asks how many domestic hours I have put in!Â

Entry Filed under: men and women, house and home