As a full-time working mom of a toddler and preschooler, I was dealing with this very issue this week and have decided to throw money at the problem.

Between keeping the house and yard relatively tidy, working, and spending time with each other and the kids we are simply run off our feet. I am the one who ensures the common chores list gets done every week and would often resort to “present[ing] the task in the spirit of negotiation.” But I am not interested in being the taskmaster week after week, even when my husband is trying to be helpful. A switch flipped when he gently made fun of my cajoling on Facebook and lots of his friends had a good laugh. No thanks – I called the cleaning company the next day.