Episode 2: Why Am I Drowning In Laundry?
Season 1, Episode 2
Why Am I Drowning In Laundry?
Loads On Loads
In this second episode of Mommy Has Questions, Cristina is drowning in laundry. Joined by her co-hosts and fellow moms from New York City, the conversation quickly unfolds into something much deeper: the mental load, emotional labor, and historical forces that have made moms the default household managers, even in 2025.
Together, the women dive into the systemic roots of unequal labor at home. From 1950s propaganda and the whitewashed dream of suburban life to the way modern women are still expected to “do it all.” They unpack how the GI Bill (government funding btw!) helped build suburbs only for some, how women were pushed out of the workforce post-WWII, and how those outdated ideals still shape who’s expected to do the dishes today.
It’s smart, it’s funny, it’s painfully relatable. Whether you’re a mom drowning in laundry or just trying to renegotiate chores without a fight, this episode is your reminder that your frustration is real, and you’re not alone. It's a call to rethink how we divide labor, advocate for ourselves, and raise a new generation with different expectations.
This one’s for the mom who’s ever come home from a trip and thought, “Wait, how is nothing done unless I do it?” Welcome to the conversation.
💬 What We Talk About:
The never-ending pile: physical and metaphorical
Why women are still “the default” at home
Capitalism, gender norms, and the 1950s housewife fantasy
GI Bill, suburban development and how it pushed women back in the home
Self-medicating housewives, and the pressure to smile through it
Fair Play and how to actually divide labor in modern families
📚References:
1990's Nick at Nite Programming u/mschanandlerbong91. "Do you remember the old days of Nick at Nite?" Reddit, r/sitcoms, 30 March 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/sitcoms/comments/1f4hxbn/do_you_remember_the_old_days_of_nick_at_nite/. Accessed 21 April 2025.
What the 1950s were really like “What the 1950s Were Really Like”. Talking Politics With Mom. Episode 03. https://youtu.be/Mt-gPjjQw1M. Accessed 21 April 2025.
"Sure he was great but remember she did everything backwards in heels" "Cartoon Image - Bob Thaves, Frank and Ernest Cartoon." Goodreads, https://images.gr-assets.com/quotes/1382202485p8/192006.jpg. Accessed 21 April 2025.
Equality and GDP Correlation European Investment Bank. "Gender Equality and Power." EIB.org, https://www.eib.org/en/stories/gender-equality-power. Accessed 21 April 2025.
Labor Distribution in the Home Fair Play Policy. "Can We Solve for the Unequal Division of Domestic Labor." FairPlayPolicy.org, https://fairplaypolicy.org/research/can-we-solve-for-the-unequal-division-of-domestic-labor. Accessed 21 April 2025.
Fair Play Rodsky, Eve. Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live). G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2019.
The GI Bill "G.I. Bill." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.I._Bill. Accessed 21 April 2025.
Women in the 1950’s workforce PBS. “Wome and Work After World War II.” PBS.org. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/tupperware-work/. Accessed 21 April 2025.
The Marriage Bar “The Marriage Bar.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_bar. Accessed 21 April 2025.
Breaking Down Patriarchy "Breaking Down Patriarchy." Breaking Down Patriarchy, https://breakingdownpatriarchy.com/podcast/. Accessed 23 April 2025.
👯♀️ Meet Your Hosts:
Cristina Sansone – Public health pro turned full-time stay-at-home mom of three
Jamie Dennison – Corporate exec and mom of two
Jess Kahn Marks – Former engineer and mom of two
Tiffany Hodges – Writer, actor, filmmaker, and mom of one
🔗 Follow Along:
Podcast IG: @momsamongotherthings
Website: mommyhasquestions.com
Presented by: momsamongotherthings.com
