There are few things that cause my stomach to turn over as quickly as an unexpected phone call from my kids? school in the middle of the afternoon. Like many parents (or parents with anxiety, at least), I see the school name on my phone?s display and find myself holding my breath, anticipating that one of my kids is sick or injured. Sometimes, that?s exactly what?s happening, though there are plenty of other reasons the school has called me: Can I volunteer" Do I have time to help organize a fundraiser" Can I make a new lunch for my son, whose backpack was mysteriously crushed somewhere between our house and his classroom" Can I contact the person who owns the house behind the school because one of my kids accidentally broke their bathroom window during recess" (Yes, that happened.) I?m always going to be there for my kids, and will always answer these calls and do what needs to be done. But at some point, I began to wonder, why don?t they ever call my husband"
It?s simple: I?m the mom, and therefore the default parent?inside of my home and out.
The division of labour in my house is not terrible. I cook dinner, my husband does the dishes. I do the grocery shopping and make school lunches, and he mows the lawn and takes out the garbage. We share laundry duties and many other domestic tasks. But the planning, organizing and communication associated with running a household and parenting small children?a lot of that is on me. Or at least delegated by m...