In the new reality show Wife On Strike on Channel 5, a mother of five has opened out about how she's letting her family manage their own home after giving up her chores.
Laura Ben Salem, a 37-year-old mother from Greenwich, South East London, is among the courageous individuals who have reached their breaking point.
Fed up with the demands of their unappreciative families, Laura, and other housewives or househusbands have decided to down tools and walk away.
As the family linchpin departs, those left behind face the daunting challenge of surviving a week without their crucial support.
With the first episode of the gripping new reality TV program set to air tonight at 9 p.m. on Channel 5 and My5, audiences will witness the trials and tribulations of these families without their wives or moms' support.
She starts her day at 4.30 am, taking care of various tasks before dropping her children off at school. Additionally, she also picks up her husband Wassim, who has just worked in the city.
The show aims to shed light on the overwhelming responsibilities faced by Laura and other housewives, prompting their decision to leave their families temporarily.
In a candid conversation on the show, Laura reveals that her partner, Wassim, prefers to rest after a long day of work. This dynamic contrasts with the traditional gender roles they witnessed in their respective families.
Wassim also admitted that, in his upbringing, his mother was primarily responsible for managing the household while his father focused on providing for the family through his job.
"Enough is enough," says Laura.
"I'm not going to keep tidying up after them. It's not just physically, it's mentally draining. I'm nonstop.
"Mum this, Mum that, Laura this, Laura this, Laura here, Laura here. And I say it all the time, "That's it I'm going, I've had enough".
'"Oh yeah, where you going to go" And before I'm even finished of having this little paddy, they're all standing at my car, waiting for me," Laura recounted on the show.
Laura further explains on the show that her husband, upon arriving home from work, tends to immediately fall asleep. This behavior adds to the challenges she faces in managing the household responsibilities on her own.
She says: "Wassim doesn't do much. He doesn't cook, he doesn't clean, he doesn't hoover, he doesn't make the bed, he doesn't do the washing, he doesn't do the drying, he doesn't put the clothes away."
Wassim tells the cameras: "I've been brought up in a family that, the mother, she'll look after the children, she'll look after the husband, she'll look after the house.
"The husband, he'll work hard to provide for the family. I work in the city, when I come back I want to rest a little bit."
Laura lives with her spouse, their five kids, her parents, Brian and Kath, and their two dogs.
During the program, the mother shared: "I try to please everybody, I can’t use that word no, I don't know if that’s just who I am.
"I normally do a minimum of two different dishes, drive me up the wall, so they all eat differently, or they won’t eat their dinner and I can't leave them without anything."
Laura decides to temporarily leave her family and stay at a local hotel. From there, she can monitor how her husband manages the household through recorded footage.
Throughout the week, as the family copes without her, they face various challenges and learn to navigate daily tasks in her absence.
At the end of the week, Laura and her husband meet on neutral ground to discuss and implement long-term changes.
This meeting provides an opportunity for them to reflect on their roles and responsibilities within the family and work towards a more balanced and equitable division of labor.
