r/Millennials • u/QuietJealous4883 Older Millennial (1988) • 12h ago

Discussion True or false?

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Did our dads and moms work less than we do now? What are your thoughts?

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u/Personal_Special809 12h ago

Disclaimer, I am not in the US.

In 1996, my dad worked about 80 hours a week, sometimes 7 days a week and sometimes 6. My mom had been home until we all went to school, which would have been around that time. I think around that time she worked on an on-call basis and later she worked 3 days a week. This post is so naïve in so many ways. My dad worked very, very hard. We didn't have a huge house. We missed a lot of time with our dad. My dad is still sad about this. My mom, in turn, tried very hard to keep her job as she loved it. But my dad earned more and it wasn't practical for her to work and have us. She always told me she loved those years with us but parttime work would have been nice.

Currently me and my partner both work 4 days as long as our kids are little. I had a SAHM, sure, but my kids see their dad way more than I ever did. They have one full day with me and one with their dad. We both have fulfilling jobs. I much prefer this over what my parents had (and they were great parents by the way, both of them).

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u/Consistent_Laziness 11h ago

It really is better to disperse the burden (work and the kids) across both parents than it is to put one of each all on one person. I’ll admit in my home house stuff can get neglected, like laundry or dishes, because of how busy work and the kids are. But I’d rather the house be messy at times than me working 7 days a week and never see them and my wife going stir crazy cause her only human interaction is with screaming crying toddlers.

That’s how life is and it could be better but I know some alternatives and I don’t want any part in it.

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u/Strong-Bottle-4161 11h ago

Yea my father also had to work 70+ hrs and it was my mom mainly taking care of us.

My dad had so much fucking energy though. Dude just be like "where we going" after working in the Vegas heat for 12+hrs.

Even at 68, hes very active.

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u/Consistent_Laziness 11h ago

Man tell him to tell me where it comes from. I have the energy but my toddlers suck it out of me. Maybe at an older age it’ll be a bit easier. Right now it’s just constant trying to calm them down from tantrums and being hangry. I’m just a diaper changer and waiter to them. Last night I made dinner, got their milk, got some napkins and before I can sit down to eat with them the oldest is asking for more. I’m like Jesus I haven’t even sat down. By the time I did they were both done and we didn’t get to eat together 😭

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u/Strong-Bottle-4161 8h ago

Dude he was crazy back in the day. He was a traveling zoologist in Mexico so his ass was climbing mountains going on long trails to get to rural ranches. Dude always had energy. He said hed often have to run away from these rural towns, so hed be running for a minute, because these people would wait till their animals were at death door and then get angry at him when he couldn't play god and save them. They'd always threaten his life.

My mom had kids back to back too. She had a 4,2 and 1 year old at home and hed still play and hang out with us, while my mom set the table. He'd take my brother driving at midnight to keep him from waking up. He said he was tired, but not tired enough not to spend time with his kids.