A new study shows that husbands doing housework has (choke) some positive benefits for kids:
Sociologists Scott Coltrane and Michele Adams of the University of California, Riverside, looked at national survey data and found that school-aged children who do housework with their fathers are more likely to get along with their peers and have more friends. What’s more, they are less likely than other kids to disobey teachers or make trouble at school and are less depressed or withdrawn.
“When men perform domestic service for others, it teaches children cooperation and democratic family values,” said Coltrane, who studies the changing role of fathers in families.
Of course, it has some, ah, benefits to those same hubbies, too.
According to research conducted in the “love labs” of Dr. John Gottman at the University of Washington, when men contribute more domestic labor, their wives may be more likely to get “in the mood.” Coltrane said wives may be less stressed over balancing work and home. In addition, Coltrane, Gottman, and other social scientists report that wives interpret husbands’ domestic contributions as a sign of love and caring and are therefore more sexually attracted to their mates.
Certainly I would suspect that the converse is true — sitting on your ass in front of the TV (or, ahem, the computer) while the Little Woman makes dinner, cleans up the dishes, finishes the laundery, packs up lunches, etc., is not conducive to, ah, “getting her in the mood.” Trust me on this one, guys.
(via BoingBoing)