Six Things My Husband Has No Idea That I Do

Parents Only

By: Phoebe Ackland, 03 October 2016

By: Phoebe Ackland, ellaslist

No doubt about it- there are some awesome dads and husbands out there! But let’s face it, when it comes to the details, the inner workings of the machines that are our children, family and homes…it’s all up to the mums. Although your husband might be super grateful and appreciative of you and all you do, there are bound to be a few things that go unnoticed.

1. Meal Planning

They just don’t understand that you don’t decide out of thin air at 5.30pm that you feel like pasta so start cooking spaghetti bolognese… that was thought up in the morning, and the groceries were probably bought much earlier in the day. Thinking up meal ideas, and rotating them so that nobody gets bored is a daily chore mums do that no doubt go unnoticed.

2. Mrs. Secretary

Restaurant reservations, doctors appointments, parent teacher interviews, seeing the dentist, optometrist, physio…it all needs to be booked in advance and scheduled into the family calendar, and mums know that this doesn’t happen on its own, or without a bit of maneuvering, pre-planning and organisation. Hubbies just seem to know once the kids have returned from the doctor that they’re even sick.

mrs secretary

3. Permission Slips

School excursions don’t happen all on their own! School forms, permission notes, weekly newsletters…that’s enough reading material to make a library. Of course, hubbies usually don’t even catch a glimpse of a school form. Mums have got them covered before dads even know they exist.

school note

4. Extra Curricular Nightmare

Whilst your youngest boy might be into karate two days a week, your little girl might be starting netball, as well as dancing, music lessons…and of course Thursday afternoon play dates with school friends. Fitting all the after school activities into 7 days is a job all on its own, let alone getting them there, making sure equipment and spare clothes are packed before school is another. Chances are, your husband has no clue that so much organisation went into the weekly schedule.

boys kicking football soccer game. training session, physical education class for kids

5. Clothes Shopping Isn’t Always A Pleasure

Young children grow…quickly. Running shoes, school shoes, sandals and winter boots need to be updated every so often, as well as hems taken down on school uniform skirts and dresses, sorting wardrobes at the start of each season and removing everything that has been outgrown, shuffling hand-me-downs to the youngest… managing the clothing cycle of young families is a super human effort. No doubt, it’s a responsibility that’s probably fallen onto mum’s shoulders, and dads have no idea. And clothes aren’t the only thing that need to be rotated…toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, hand soap…all those little necessities make a big difference and your dear husband probably thinks the fairies replaced them.

clothes

6. Hip, Hip….Groan

Whilst all your husband might hear about is how fun Annabelle’s party was on the weekend, all you know is how deeply you’re dreading the next birthday invite making its way home into your daughter’s school bag. RSVP’ing, buying presents for children you scarcely know, wrapping them only to discover you are short on wrapping paper, getting your children to sign the card, judgemental stares from mums who are more extravagant present buyers than you…Sigh! The least your husband can do is the dropping off and picking up.

Cheerful young girl opening birthday presents in house