Blogger Meredith Ethington is like many other moms. She has trouble shutting off the endless to-do list in her head. Her husband, JD, doesn’t have that problem.
In a Facebook post published on July 13, the 39-year-old from Salt Lake City, Utah, revealed her stream of consciousness at the end of a long work day. The list included thoughts such as, “OMG. This house is a mess,” “I need to have a talk with the five year old about honesty and have him return that toy he ‘borrowed,’” “Did I put the laundry in the dryer?” “How is the ceiling fan THAT dusty? Like, for real. Why is there so much dust on a fan that spins all day? How is that even possible?” “I will cut someone if I don’t have any chocolate after the kids are in bed.”
Then she cuts to the thoughts she believes are running through JD’s brain: “I’m going to lay down here and take a nap real quick.”
In the accompanying photo, her husband of 15 years is seen dozing peacefully on the couch.
Ethington’s post resonated with many women. “ This is my brain ALL DAY LONG,” wrote one. Another chimed in, “OMG!!! This is my story. Somebody just laid out my brain and what’s going on in my home !!!”
Ethington tells Us Weekly she wasn’t bashing the father of her three children. “Moms often carry a mental burden that men don’t. It’s not to say that either one is right or wrong, it’s just the way it is,” the Perfection Pending blogger tells Us Weekly. “I think men just have a better way of relaxing in a stressful environment. I think when they see a chance to rest, or take care of themselves, they just feel less guilty about taking the time.”
The 39-year-old points out that JD, who works as a physician assistant, puts in long hours. “He says that he feels like if he’s tired enough, even if he just gets 10 minutes, it’s worth it,” Ethington tells Us. “I’m happy he can do that and honestly, I feel like I could learn a little from him and try to do it from time to time if my mind would just be quiet.”
She adds: “I will say that my husband rallies when I need him!”
