>

Obligation is a word I would use at work. No one is obligated to do anything in a relationship, they just do. I for one want to feel like comfort at home comes before responsibility.
Just like dad is not babysitting, he's parenting. >

I hate when people ask me if I am babysitting just because I have taken my kids out on my own. No my wife is not out for the day, no I am not trying to get in the good books. Yes I am just a dad who loves spending time with his kids. Now go away i am off to ten pin bowling >

Yep. As a father of 3, the only time I hear that I’m “babysitting” my own kids is from random women. They always think they’re being funny with that comment. No, sorry, keep that toxic, sexist attitude away from me and my children. >

My ex has a son, so I was stepdad forawhile. I once took him to the park when hanging out with a buddy from out of town. We had a great time playing, but holy shit the staresmfrom the boomer ladies were crazy. Lol one of them tried to follow us out when we left to go walk home >

Ignorant and presumptuous of them, eh? When I take my 3 young daughters out and about, I always get sideways glares. Playgrounds and spray parks are particular hot spots. >

I dont get it man. Were just trying to be good dads/stepdads and bond with our kids. They way they looked at me and followed us out, they must have that we were abductors or something lol. My friend is Middle Eastern so I wonder if that had something to do with it too. Its a pretty Hoity Toity town >

I don’t get it either, man. Just the other week I took a pic of my girls after their first swim lessons in almost 3 years, thanks to COVID, and I could feel the dagger-like glares directed my way. >

I hope you all had a good time! Thats just something parents have done, since cameras were invented. What jerks lol. "How dare you create fun memories!" -Some Karen >

Yeah I hope that people didn't stop you from having a good time there I hope. >

I’ve a couple exes who wanted gold stars & blowies for half ass doing part of their share. I used to counter that with some passive aggression. “Look, honey! I’m HELPING to pay the electric bill! See? Aren’t you proud?” “Do I get a reward for HELPING with rent? Cuz that’s men’s work right? So I’m helping - why aren’t you excited?” If they didn’t get it, the next bill it would be “you’re so much better at this than me - and boys really LIKE doing it! You worry too much about these things!” and only pay 25% instead of my half.  Why can’t I change a lightbulb or close the garage door? Cuz girls don’t understand that stuff it’s weird. Oh the meltdowns lol. >

I told my man do half or get out. He just finished dinner. >

I see it differently. 
I do all the cooking and kitchen work in the house. Like 99% of it. When my partner cooks/is in the kitchen with me, she is helping me in the kitchen. 
She does 80% of the laundry. When I do the laundry, I am helping her out. 
We have a 50:50 split on all house chores in total, but we do different things. When one of us does a task that is the responsibility of the other person, we are helping them. >

Completely agree, this post is about the people who do one thing while their partner does a million more and then claim they are "helping". For example, my friend has a 9-5 and comes back, takes care of her kids, cooks, cleans, and does the lawn work in her house. Her husband took out the trash once while I was at her home, and made a big deal of how he was "helping" his wife. >

I don’t think that is very common anymore. It’s a shame that exists in their situation but that is not the norm. >

Wander on over to the many parenting subs and you'll quickly find that it's still very much a norm for many. >

If you take the one-sided and often fully fabricated stories there as truth, you've been on the internet too long. >

Luckily I don't, but I have seen how the anecdotes I see on those posts match my lived experience so there's that. >

And its usually the ones that are disappointed that will voice their opinions. So the ones who do have those bad relationships will speak up and the rest will just go on with their days. >

We help each other. Neither is obligated, and both benefit. >

Why is neither  "obligated"?