Fresh Take: Mary Catherine Starr on Truly Sharing the Mental Load in Marriage

Women take on the lion's share of housework in heterosexual partnerships, and that gap in labor becomes a chasm once a child is born. Once Mom is the default parent, it becomes very difficult to even out the distribution of housework and parenting more equally.

Mary Catherine Starr, author of the new book MAMA NEEDS A MINUTE, has renegotiated the distribution of labor in her own marriage post-kids and has tips for how other women can do the same.

Mary Catherine Starr is an artist, graphic designer, and author. Her hugely popular Instagram account @momlife_comics explores motherhood, marriage, and the double standards of parenting.

Mary Catherine and Amy discuss:

• What inspired Mary Catherine to start Mom Life Comics
• Why women usually become the default parent as soon as a baby is born
• Why Mary Catherine's cartoons help women explain the mental load to their partners

Here's where you can find Mary Catherine:

• https://www.marycatherinestarr.com/
• @momlife_comics on IG
• marycatherinestarr.substack.com
• Buy MAMA NEEDS A MINUTE: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9781797226866

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What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson.

mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, cognitive labor, emotional labor, mental load, second shift

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