Turning the tide on gender expectations may feel major, but one man is showing the value in small efforts.
A video posted to TikTok by Chelsie Dort (@lifewiththedorts) revealed a heartwarming surprise done by her husband before leaving on a work trip: cleaning their daughters’ messy room to perfection.
The video has received cheers online along with igniting discussion on gender dynamics in the household. Since it was posted, it has received over 286,000 likes and nearly 2,000 comments.
“My husband left out of town for work this morning,” Dort captioned the video, narrating her surprise at waking up to a clean girls’ room. Expecting her husband to be busy with last-minute packing, Dort was taken aback by the unexpected act. The reason behind the spotless room became clear when she received a text message from her husband.
Povozniuk/Getty Images
“Good morning. I picked up the girls’ room. I hope that it was helpful for you going into this week. I appreciate everything you do for our family. Love you babe,” the text read.
Dort wrote that the week prior, she had sent her husband a video of their daughters’ messy room in awe at how it could become such a shambles so quickly. This gave weight to his surprise gift, showing attentiveness and care for the family’s wellbeing.
Dort’s video resonated with viewers on TikTok, with many praising her husband’s kindness and consideration.
One commenter, @mamagoodness50 wrote: “My husband would never. What a kind partner in life to have.”
“My love language is when he does something that makes my life simpler,” @simplyhairvabeach wrote.
@lifewiththedorts I sent my husband a video of the girls room last week saying that I was so confused at how it could get so messy so quickly. Bedford went out of town for work this morning. I went to bed without him last night and just assumed he was doing some last minute packing. When I woke up the girls room was clean, he had cleaned it while we were all sleeping snd then woke up early to go to the airport. I genuinely pray that our children find a partnership like ours. Not that it’s perfect but I hope they each feel supported. That they each do their part to contribute to the relationship. Not just in the ways that are traditionally said to be theirs but in the ways that they are needed. 💛🫶🏼 #mixedcouple #marriagegoals #teamworkmakesthedreamwork #marriedmybestfriend
♬ Little Life – Cordelia
However, amid the admiration for Dort’s husband’s actions, some emphasized the importance of mutual—and unspoken—contribution within partnerships: “I ask my husband not to use language like ‘I helped you clean’ or ‘do you need help with household tasks’ because it’s not my house or my kids, they are his too, and I want my kids to learn that from an early age,”@keekee20142011 wrote.
Dort clarified in the comments that her grateful reaction wasn’t because her husband helped, but because he made the time in his schedule to do it.
“He works out of town, and stayed up until 1:00 a.m., and cleaned with the flashlight of his phone—then left on a business trip at 4:00 a.m.,” she wrote.
No matter how small or expected, Dort’s video illustrates the importance of mutuality in partnerships.
“I genuinely pray that our children find a partnership like ours,” she said. “That they each do their part to contribute to the relationship.”
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.