A card from Fair Play by Eve Rodsky
Dishes
It’s no wonder so many articles about domestic labor begin and end with dishes—the metaphorical third rail of chores. This cardholder is responsible for washing and drying by hand and/or loading and unloading the dishwasher—for every meal. The upside? Your partner doesn’t get to criticize how you put the plates in the “wrong” way. Re-deal this card often to avoid thrown dishes.
Holding this card means owning all three
Conception
Dishes are being used, and therefore need to be cleaned
Planning
- Paying special care to specialty items like non-stick and cast-iron items
Execution
- Washing and drying dishes and pots and pans (by hand)
- Loading and unloading dishwasher
- Putting dishes away in proper location
Suggested Minimum Standard of Care
Are the dishes appropriately handled? Clean dry and put away on a regular basis? (i.e pans hand-washed if needed)
A starting point. You and your partner agree the real standard together, and the holder meets it without reminders.
Holding it well
- It’s a Daily Grind: relentless and time-bound. Make sure each of you holds a fair share of these, ideally one from each suit.
- The holder owns all of it: noticing, planning and doing. No “just tell me what to do.”
- Agree the Minimum Standard of Care together, then let the holder meet it their way.
- Not working? Bring it to the weekly check-in and re-deal it. Don’t take it back mid-week.
Put this card on your table
Deal it, agree its standard, and see who holds what. Free.