So you get married.... and you move in together. I've found that in my experience that men and women tend to look at this transition differently, PARTICULARLY if you didn't live together prior to marriage and you decide to practice "stereotypical" gender roles in your marriage.
Perspective #1
Spouse #1 - I don't get it. They're getting full course meals frequently, the home is clean, I'm adding value to their life
Spouse #2 - That's cool and all but I still have to share my space
Perspective #2
Spouse #1 - This is a whole lot more work than living alone
Spouse #2 - There are SO MANY benefits to being married
These are the two most common perspectives I've seen after talking to newly married couples that opt for stereotypical gender role format.
I've found that in perspective one the disconnect is that the spouse that doesn't get it is learning what their partner values, and that is their space. You can cook and clean all day but that is how you chose to come into the role of husband/wife, and that might not necessarily be what your spouse appreciates or values. Talk to them and find a balance. I think people get very caught up in what the perception of marriage should be like instead of finding a routine that works for them specifically. Don't go into it with preconceived notions. Find a routine that works for both of you.
In perspective two this is most commonly the case when one spouse carries the brunt of the work in the household. Things become imbalanced. Naturally a bulk of keeping things in order does fall tend to fall on one person **cough cough most times the woman cough cough**, but I encourage the spouse doing said work to make sure the spouse not pulling their weight attempts to develop some particular sets of skills. Things won't always be equal, but I like the idea of both parties actively contributing to the betterment of the household, I think it will make things much easier long-term even moreso if you decide to add kids into the mix
Since LaFlore and I are new to this we haven't ironed out the full logistics to how we operate as a unit yet. However, we did iron out one thing....
Cooking.
I cook, I enjoy it. Four dinners a week is all you get from me (technically 8 total because I always make enough for both of us to bring to lunch the next day)
When I cook, Jason cleans the kitchen, or at least that's the goal
I pretty much ALWAYS forget to take pics of my meals but here are some I actually remembered to photograph! :)
The transition from living as individuals to cohabitation is a big one. We still have so much to figure out:
Groceries
Cleaning
Laundry
Bill splitage
Bank accounts
Name Change... to name a few
I plan on tackling each of these topics in detail as we embark upon this journey of two becoming one. Not gonna lie, having one thing marked off the list does offer a sense of relief. This transition doesn't happen overnight that's for sure.