h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My first thought was the same as Webbie's - that they know full well how to work both, but cleverly feign uselessness in order to get out of it. I prefer to take care of most of the cooking and washing-up, because I actually don't mind doing all that and take a bit of pride in in. That means E usually does the lounge, which I hate doing but she doesn't mind. So it tends to work pretty well

You're right, Rich, they do indeed know how to do these things, but after leaving them for a few days, I still find myself doing them in the end.
Then again, I put up with so many other things, like having to eat all the wrong stuff they buy when I send them shopping groceries, and I'm only human, so there is a limit to my patience.

Time to set the record straight me thinks, in defence of us mere men.

I come from a family of 5 lads. We were brought up on the following priciples,
First job of the day, 7 days a week was to start the generator using good old fashioned crank handle as we weren't on mains electric when we first moved to the boatyard in 1970.(see link below)
If we couldn't cook a basic meal by age 9 we had bread and jam! We were taught to wash and iron, using an old twin tub washing machine and an old 'flat iron' that was heated by placing on the hot plate of a coal burning rayburn range. (you try getting the right temperature for the different materials using that method). Washing, drying and putting pots and pans away was the norm for us to do from age 6 upwards. We were all able to sew buttons on shirts, do minor repairs to rips in clothes. Same applied to hoovering, cleaning and dusting. We had a rota for window cleaning, inside and out.
We got ourselves up, breakfasted and off to school without seeing our parents most days. We walked 3 miles to school, 3 miles back,then got our own tea/dinner, did whatever homework we had then went to work in the boatshed for a few hours with the old man.
I daresay in this crazy PC world we live in now there would be an outcry if kids were brought up like this today. I'm not saying it was a bed of roses or that things weren't done under protest at times but it certainly didn't do us any harm in the long term. We all turned out to be independant and able to fend for ourselves.
You don't have to be clever or super intelligent to do these things, just a practical working knowledge, a little self discipline and have a little common sense.
Sadly kids and youth get it far too easy and are far too mollycoddled today.
Those of you with access to my flickr photo group will see a pic of the aforementioned boatyard.

http://www.oldengine.org/members/blkstone/History5.htm The first picture in this link is similar to the generator we had to start every morning from 1970 to 1974 before we eventually went onto mains electric.

ST, the trouble is, that the boys refuse to do some things (when they're in a bad mood) on the grounds that they've never seen their dad doing them.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo

Nice one, Rich.

I can do everything! just that I can't be bothered

>>the boys refuse to do some things (when they're in a bad mood) on the grounds that they've never seen their dad doing them<<

ah, boy syndrome - probably his mum is to blame

just stop - your boys are big enough. Let them fend for themselves for as long as it takes - your future daughters in law will thank you for it (my m-i-l wasn't perfect, but my husband can cook - well, he should be able to! - wash, iron, vac, dust etc etc. he's a way better housewife than I am)

Right. Bloke defence.

I cook and do most of the washing up for myself and HI, whilst also keeping the kitchen and bathroom clean. I occasionally hoover the flat. I do all my own ironing.

I have a dishwasher, but I rarely use it...only when I've been *really* lazy for a few days, or I've had people round for dinner or something.

However...

Vertical surfaces can take care of themselves, generally speaking. I've been known to squeegee the door and windows out to the balcony when they're looking particularly murky.

RF

Loved that sketch Rich. Sounds like my hubby when he gets going

I knew the original post was tongue in cheek, we do it all the time, but it is true it is often our own fault. I have always done things because I couldn't stand waiting for someone else to do it ... some time! I am feeling a little smug as my two sons put me to shame. True, I probably battered them in to submission when they were young (verbally, you understand!) and it seems to have paid off.

They run their fingers through my dust now . Well I have other fish to fry don't I? like Hoo Too and .....things

Websailor

Ok, let's have a closer look at the blokes that have replied so far:

Roymondo: not married, no kids

ST - not married, no kids

Skankyrich: not married, no kids

Reddyfreddy: not married, no kids


Do I detect some common ground there?

>> Reddyfreddy: not married, no kids <<

I have, however been married and had kids.

RF

"no kids" - not that they know about??

I had no idea.

Still, I'm not sure that it counts.

I'm not sure what my wife would say if an 18 year old Swedish girl/woman turned up at our front door and called me Daddy?

I have a fair idea

But surely what happened 18 years and 9 months ago (before) happened before ... but ... oh dear! Getting frightened now (turning out the lights on the porch!)

I'm really rather certain that I have no kids, unless any ladies' ladies have snuck up on me to fill a turkey baster while I wasn't looking.

That doesn't seem very likely.

I believe you, Roymondo.

I spend most of the time cleaning up after myself, so there's not much room for me to 'forget' how things work. However, the idea of cleaning walls baffles me.

As for the 18 years and 9 months ago thing - I think I'm safe for now.