Dads who often come up with the excuse of being ‘too tired’ to do any housework, please take note.
Singapore Minister for Social and Family Development, Tan Chuan-Jin, does not have a maid at home. So he makes sure that he helps with household chores, like ironing clothes, washing dishes, and even cleaning windows!
This, in spite of his super busy schedule!
Hands-on husband and dad
According to The Straits Times, he has been quoted as saying, “cleaning windows is quite tiring”.
He also feels that there’s nothing wrong with dads taking a more proactive role in the household, “I think men need to step up as it’s a partnership.”
PHOTO: FACEBOOK/TAN CHUAN-JIN
This father of 2 teenagers also seems to be a strong advocate for fathers being there for their children. In his Facebook post he writes, “Why is it so important for fathers to play an active role? A father’s active presence has been shown to have a significant impact on a child’s development on so many fronts – intellectual, social, emotional.”
“Who are our best teachers? Parents. Which is the best school? Home. Schools play critical partnership roles but nothing beats what we do at home, especially during our children’s early years. Let’s make the effort to be present for our children, actively set aside time for them, and not give them our leftover time.”
“When fathers are more involved in our children’s lives, we can raise happier and more resilient children and families.”
We can’t help, but agree. It is indeed refreshing to see people in authority walk the talk when it comes to bonding and relationships.
Why dads should do more housework
Here are some great reasons for dads to be more involved in housework:
- Save on “maid” money: In super expensive Singapore, getting dads to do chores means one less expense to worry about.
- Stay fit: Housework keeps you physically active. Apparently even 20 minutes of physical activity a week improves mental and physical health.
- Happier dads: Yes, you read that right. According to this report, a study called “Work Life Balance: Working for Fathers” revealed that doing housework and spending more time with their children actually de-stressed dads!
- Better role models for children, more ambitious daughters: According to this study, children are hugely influenced by how fathers treat their domestic roles. In particular, it was found that dads who did more housework had more ambitious daughters!
Also, children who saw their dads do more work at home were more likely to believe in gender equality. It especially shaped daughters’ ambitions and career choices, as such girls were found to opt for non-traditional and non-caregiver roles professionally.
It seems, children who grow up seeing their dads help around the house also do well socially and academically.
- Happier wives, better sex lives: Guess what, men who do more housework have better sex lives and happier marriages. According to psychologist John Gottman, who specialises in relationships, “Women find a man’s willingness to do housework extremely erotic.”
Wives burdened by housework and childcare are generally known to suffer from depression and lack of sex drive. When husbands do their chores, especially without being asked, wives feel equal, and marital satisfaction ensues. This apparently yields happier children!
Also READ: 6 Tips to get your husband to do household chores
(Source: The Straits Times)
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