Over the weekend, I argued with my husband about the housework. Afterwards (in a post-row huff), I read a long article in The Guardian in which Zoe Williams reviewed three new books on feminist themes. There was lots of meat there but I particularly liked Williams' description of "the awkwardness between...parents, the tightrope between being put-upon and beholden".
I know what she means. I work (very) part-time and look after our 19-month-old daughter. My husband works (very) full-time. I want to be at home with our daughter and wouldn't want to be the one bringing home most of the bacon. But I still struggle to reconcile myself to this role. I sometimes miss the time and freedom to throw myself into paid work in the way he can. I also find it hard not to resent the domestic chores that accompany being a "stay-at-home mum", even though I know they are part and parcel of caring for my family.