A recent New York Time Sunday Magazine article (and video) got me thinking about whether it’s practical to share all responsibilities as a married couple and my initial gut reaction is NO and here’s why: not all individuals have equal skill sets (yes you can use skill set when talking about a marriage). Just like a typical corporation, getting things done is about specialization and efficiency and not “sharing equally.” So, as a married person who is not very efficient at doing the laundry I stay away from using the washing machine, folding clothes, and ironing. However, as a master cleaner, floor washer, duster, window washer, landscaper, sweeper, etc., I tend to understand what I’m good at and contribute to the practical side of the marriage more efficiently. Now, we’re currently without children so our workload hasn’t reached unmanageable proportions but I suspect once the little humans arrive we’ll naturally gravitate towards what tasks we’re good at completing quickly and with quality.
In sum, don’t let the above article fool you, there’s no such thing as “equally shared parenting”; marriages, like corporations, align people with their skill set and focus on specialization and efficiency (and the good companies or parents produce high quality products as well, be it a smart and cared for child or a fancy widget). What do you think?
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