Since I was an only child, once I got married, my husband and I moved in with my parents. At first, everything worked out really well. We all got along and helped out at home when we could, dividing up the chores according to whoever had some spare time. There was this unspoken rule that if you had a moment, youd get on with whatever needed doingthere were never any silly arguments between me and my mum about little things. If I made dinner, shed do the washing up, or if I cleaned the house, shed look after the kids. Honestly, we just shared the responsibilities as each of us was able. But everything started to change when my parents retired.
Their retirement brought a proper shift in the household. Mum and Dad both stopped working altogether. Dad spends most of his afternoons playing chess with his mates in the garden, and Mum has thrown herself into tending the flowers and looking after her little garden.
But as for helping around the house, my mum doesnt lift a finger anymorenot even to do basic things like washing the plates after lunch. I get home from work, knackered, and Im greeted by stacks of dirty dishes, no dinner on, an empty fridge, and a house that looks like a bombs hit it. It gets me down sometimes, not knowing where to start. Would it be so hard just to quickly wash up? I mean, I work as well, and Im shattered by the end of the day. If this was happening with some distant relatives, I wouldnt feel half as embarrassed. I suppose they just see me as someone on the side now and dont really care whether Im struggling. I tried having a chat with mum about how things are at home, but she just brushed me off. Her answer was basically that shes done her bit and from now on, whoever needs something done should get on and do it. And that was that; the conversation stopped there.
I keep trying to understand why theyre acting this way, but it just leaves me more and more disappointed. Im only human, I get tired too. I honestly cant get my head around how someone can be home all day and do nothing. I just dont know what to do anymore. Should I try and have another heart-to-heart with my mum, or is it time to start thinking about moving out? Maybe if we lived separately, it would give them the space to do as they please, and my husband and I could finally arrange our lives in a way that actually works for us.
