Roger Rabbits with Jim Bunny

Lots of introspection, lots of self-reflection up and down the land this week.

Blokes stopping to examine division of labour in the home. What men do, what they don’t do, what they could be doing, should be doing to “give the wife a break”. Yeah, thanks Sam Uffindell!

“Give the wife a break” – the new catchcry amongst HSMs – Highly Sensitive Men.  

But aren’t we already contributing? It’s just not getting noticed, nor appreciated.

For example, on Saturday morning I went the extra step. The wife had come inside for a cup of tea and a break from the lawns. There’s a lot of lawn so she can’t do it all at once.

I was busy watching Trackside and doing TAB picks – propping up the household budget – but I sneaked out and emptied the catcher for her.

I thought I would “give her a break”.

Ten minutes later I see her standing beside the flash green $1299 Masport I bought her for her birthday and she’s nodding her head, and there’s a tear. Had my thoughtfulness been misinterpreted? I wondered about it all the way to golf.

And all this because Sam Uffindell announced to Parliament that he occasionally does the family supermarket shop “to give his wife a break”. Sam, you’re the man!

By his own admission, dancing down the aisles is a good way of putting himself out there, getting publicity with the party jacket on and “looking like the everyday man”.

Like us hoi polloi.

The kudos?

Well, we’ve been hearing from “everyday men” since Sam’s humble declaration of ordinariness. And they tell us they’re constantly doing the small stuff to help – but they’re not getting the kudos they deserve. For example ….

•“I offered my wife a cup of tea and didn’t audibly groan when she said ‘Yes’.” Guys understand that sometimes it’s what you don’t do that makes a difference.

•“After my wife cleans the house, makes me cups of tea all day and then cooks dinner, I step up and wash the dishes for her. It’s the least I can do.”

•“When we go out to parties or dinner, I always drive there so my wife only has to drive one way.”

•“Every Sunday I get in takeaways so my wife doesn’t have to cook.”

Endless tales of selflessness from men –  and a lot of it happening in the kitchen and laundry.

•“I called out from the couch to alert my wife the washing machine was beeping.”

•“I took a clean mug from the dishwasher rather than the cupboard.”

 “I put my coffee cup in the dishwasher to help out my wife.”

Caring and contributing abounds in the bedroom and ensuite too.

•“Sometimes I straighten the bed sheets after getting up.”

•“I threw my dirty undies at the laundry hamper and missed. So I picked them up and put them directly into the hamper. Anything to help!”

•“I replaced the empty toilet roll.”

•“I use my well-directed urine stream to clean the toilet bowl.”

Men are also showing positive parenting skills to balance the domestic workload.

•“I play video games with the kids so the wife can cook in peace. Often without so much as a ‘thank you’.”

•“I helped my school-age daughter put on her coat this morning.”

•“I made the kids school lunch – an apple, two slices of cheese, a Just Juice box and $5 for the school shop.”
And more from in the kitchen.

•“I am retired. And when my wife is busy and works really late, I make myself baked beans on toast for dinner.”
•“I don’t put the empty milk carton back in the fridge.”

•“I am staying single so there’s at least one woman out there who has every day off.”

These acts of self-sacrifice moved one woman to say: “There are obviously so many wonderful blokes out there, it almost makes me want one”.

‘Uffing’

On the back of all this, a new word is born – ‘uffing’ – blokes doing the household supermarket shopping to
“give the wife a break”.

A mate went ‘uffing’ this week. Straight through fruit ‘n’ veg – no point spending up there when it’s going to be 15 per cent cheaper after the election.

He dodged all the boring aisles to buy a selection of fine IPAs and Pilseners, designer sausages, packs of six frozen pies, frozen beer-battered fries, beef jerky, chorizo and pepperoni, sweet and sour gherkins, salted peanuts and chips.

And more beer to fill the trolley. “Ka-ching! Thank you for shopping at Countdown.” All proof of the fact men will buy stuff they want, whereas women buy stuff they need.

Wonder if Sam uses a shopping list?

Seventy-five per cent of women use a shopping list, just 25 per cent of men.

Figures...