Maybe you’ve seen the clip by now.
If not, you’re in for a treat!
Meet J.R. Minton, a Texas UPS driver who’s taking the internet by storm with his hilarious TikTok video about domestic responsibilities.
In the video, which has racked up over 7 million views, J.R. proudly declares that he doesn’t “help” his wife with household chores.
“I don’t help my wife cook. I don’t help her clean, do laundry, take care of the kids – none of that,” he says with a grin.
But before you start thinking that J.R. is a slacker, hear him out.
“I don’t help my wife because those things are my job, too,” he explains.
“I cook, I clean, I do the laundry, and I take care of the kids. Being a father and a husband means sharing the load, not just doing the bare minimum.”
(I’d argue that level involvement and being hands-on is one of the key differences between a father vs a dad!)
This was a major shift in my own thinking a few years back, and it goes along with the idea that some dads still call watching their own kids “babysitting.”
That one always drives me nuts!
J.R.’s video has struck a chord with women everywhere, who are tired of being the primary caregivers in their households.
We don’t even need to cite statistics about division of labor in households.
You already know who’s carrying the load.
“My husband sometimes doesn’t even flush the toilet,” one woman commented. “How do I send to my husband without hurting his feelings,” another added.
Watch the whole clip and read all the amazing comments here.
(Including a lot of folks who were “ready to fight” before they realized the video was tongue-in-cheek).
@minton__jr ♬ original sound – J.R. Minton
But J.R. isn’t just a hero to women – he hopes to be a role model for other men who want to step up their game.
“Change the way you speak, change the way you think, and grow the f*** up and be a man,” he urges in his video. “It’s time for men to stop treating domestic responsibilities as ‘women’s work’ and start taking ownership of their homes and families.”
And J.R. knows what he’s talking about. He was raised in a household where gender roles were strictly enforced, and he’s determined to do things differently with his own family.
“Pretty much everything about my parenting style is in spite of what I saw when I was growing up,” he says.
So, what’s the secret to J.R.’s success? It’s simple: effort.
“Every father and husband we know is fully-capable – yet (many of them are) unwilling,” he says. “If you want to be a good husband and father, you have to put in the work. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it.”