My husband took the kids to the shops. So why does everyone want to award him the Nobel Peace Prize?

It’s one of the great mysteries of life.

The Bermuda Triangle. The Pyramids. And the fact that dads get a ridiculous amount of praise heaped on them for the simple tasks that mums do Every. Single. Day.

This week on the This Glorious Mess, the podcast for parents, Holly Wainwright told Andrew Daddo that when her husband picks up the kids from school, the most common thing she hears from other women and teachers is praise. “You are SO LUCKY.” “Oh my God! ” “You really won the lottery with that guy!”

Lucky. That a man is willing to drive his car to school for the pickup/drop off.

Um, that’s not lucky, that just parenting.  Medal not needed.

This week, columnist and mother of four Amanda Blair told us when she takes the kids out, people look at her like she needs to use contraception.  But when her husband does it, he’s practically Australian Of The Year.

But it was a moment at the airport that really made us laugh.

Have a listen to THIS:

Is it because men are really good at telling everyone what they’re doing? And swooping in to do tiny things and expecting applause and gratitude? Is it because women are still expected to deliver more than men when it comes to the household and children, so when they contribute, we go over the top with the praise?

Host Andrew Daddo is one such man who mows the lawn and waits for applause.  And in his immortal words of the podcast: “I didn’t know what a tool I was being”.

Small mission accomplished.

The full episode is here:

Download it in itunes, listen in soundcloud, download the audio to my computer.

Podcasts are totally free, and they’re the best way to catch up on things while you get on with your life.

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