Sharing Chores Can Reduce Marital Conflict

Couples who share household chores between them are more likely to have a happy marriage, according to a recent study from America.

Researchers found that newlyweds stand the best chance of a successful marriage when both partners believe that these chores should be shared equally. However, marital happiness will come under threat if one partner believes the other isn’t pulling their weight.

"Newlyweds need to thoughtfully plan how they can make their expectations about sharing chores work out in real life, especially if the new spouses strongly value gender equality in household labour,” explained Brian G. Ogolsky, a University of Illinois professor of human development and family studies. “This issue will only matter more after children start arriving," he added.

The study also found that it is important for couples to start as they mean to go on, because once patterns are established they can be very hard to break.

Ogolsky explained that couples should begin their marriage with a clear understanding of their partner’s point of view on the issue.

"Such an understanding helps couples avoid becoming disillusioned as the marriage goes on," he said.

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