My daddy is partially retired- he actually retired when I was a wee baby from his "career", then worked at another job while going to law school most of my childhood. Then he was laid off when I was in high school. He now teaches some college classes and putters. And sends me A LOT of forwards. (Has anyone else noticed their retired parents sending waaay too many forwards??)
He also does the dishes and cooks(sometimes). Its a big change from when he used to do NOTHING when I was kid except take the trash out.
When my dad retired before my mom she promptly told him that she would no longer be cooking on weeknights, since she was still working, and he took over the majority of the housework. This may have to do with the fact that my dad actually loves to clean and is one of the most fastidiously neat people I know. Now that they are both retired, they more or less share the housework equally. I know there are a lot of men out there that do not help out but my father is not one of them.
My parents are relatively young for retirees (both retired at 55, they are both 61 now) and I can tell you the only thing my father has increased doing is sitting on the couch, drinking wine and watching The Military Channel, while my mother cooks, cleans, pays the bills, and holds down a part-time job. I absolutely hate seeing how unhelpful he is.
@St. Francis of a Sissy: Yeah, I think my mom justified cooking for my dad because she was a teacher and got home 3 hours earlier than he did, but now that they are both retired, she still does all the cooking and laundry.
My parents are very happy in retirement and remain that way as long as my dad spends at least 4 hours in his woodshop daily and does not attempt to re-organize mom's kitchen. Ever. Again.
Also, when I do retire I will be having MORE sex, since I'll have nothing better to do with my time. Not that there is anything better than sex anyway, but still.
@rosasparks: I'm sure you've heard this a million times, but my grandparents (who raised me) SHOULD have divorced when they got retired, or some point before that. Now they live this miserable existence, doing crossword puzzles and arguing nonstop, basically waiting to die. Sometimes I dream of them divorcing and then having the most exciting last years of their lives. But divorce is probably not all rainbows, unicorns and Skittles rainshowers either.
When I was in college, my roommate and I had mantras that we lived by based on personal and familial experiences. Mine was to never marry a guy you met in a bar because that was where my mother met her first husband. My roommate's was to never marry an Australian, for similar reasons. I understand what she was asking of me so much more after this report.
Were those girls all wearing skirts that stopped above their knees? Because then, as we all know, they were asking for it.
I don't know who I feel worse for: the kids who grow up with examples of this shit being 'acceptbable,' or the women who will ultimately suffer from all of this. Okay, I pick the women.
@i like birds: Do you know of any more resent facts? On that site, they are referencing surveys from almost 10 years ago.
Also, the United States has way more people than Australia. Not that that excuses abuse ever, but yeah, there will be more cases where there are more people.
12/04/08
He also does the dishes and cooks(sometimes). Its a big change from when he used to do NOTHING when I was kid except take the trash out.
12/04/08
Yes, I recently had to ask them to stop, "my email account automatically eats forwards. Especially ones from your racist, right-winger friends."
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They are divorced, however, their stress levels and general sadness is ten-fold compared to when they were working. I am serious.
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11/17/08
p.s. this is a joke.
11/17/08
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I don't know who I feel worse for: the kids who grow up with examples of this shit being 'acceptbable,' or the women who will ultimately suffer from all of this. Okay, I pick the women.
11/17/08
[endabuse.org]
11/17/08
Also, the United States has way more people than Australia. Not that that excuses abuse ever, but yeah, there will be more cases where there are more people.