I always believed housework was easy and that women just exaggerated their complaints

 

Everything changed the day Lucy left me alone to handle the house and our son.

At first, I dismissed her daily tasks as “easy.” But the moment I had to do them—getting Danny dressed, making breakfast, handling laundry—I failed at every turn. I burned food, ruined clothes, and stood helpless in the mess I created.

When Danny offered to help, I was stunned by how capable he was. “Why do you help so much?” I asked.
“Because Mommy needs it,” he said.

That hit me hard. I’d ignored Lucy’s exhaustion for years.

When she came home and asked, “Want to help with dinner?”
I finally answered, “Yes. I do.”
And this time, I meant it.