TikTok video reveals a mother’s struggle with inattentive parenting and messy household
A mother, who is in the process of separating from her husband, has accused him of being neglectful in parenting and household responsibilities, after he failed to clean the home while she was at work.
Lynalice, who uses the TikTok handle @5kids5catssomedogstoo, shared a video in August showing her cleaning various rooms in her house. The footage, shown as a time-lapse, depicted a bedroom, living room, and dining room covered in clothes, bags, and scattered toys.
In the accompanying text, she explained that she had been working long hours—10-hour shifts for the past six days—and had only one day off due to illness. She highlighted the pile of dishes in the kitchen and remarked, “I’d like to pretend I’m not the only person who cleans, but as you can see…” The video continued with her cleaning the bedroom and living room, where she noted that these spaces “don’t get much attention when I’m not here.”
Lynalice revealed that her soon-to-be-ex-husband, who had been home during the summer break, had claimed that he couldn’t watch the children while studying, but now that the school session had ended, there was no excuse for his inaction. She also shared how, after returning home from work every day, she was confronted with the aftermath of “inattentive parenting”—including shampoo spilled on the carpet, nail polish stains, and medications that had been destroyed.
As she continued cleaning the house, she criticised her ex-partner for prioritising his passion for working on cars over taking care of the family. She explained that his obsession with the vehicles in the driveway had led him to bring car parts into the house, leaving oil stains throughout the dining room. “His obsession has hit an all-time high,” she wrote.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Lynalice expressed her hope to leave the home they shared once she could afford to do so. “I wish so much that the housing economy wasn’t what it was here and I could afford to move out,” she wrote. “My soul aches without a place to feel safe and happy.”
Her video, which had amassed over 7 million views by April 24, sparked an outpouring of support from TikTok users. Many viewers shared their empathy and experiences, with one commenting, “I’m proud of you Mama,” and another adding, “Being a single parent while married is the worst.”
Recent studies have shown that women still bear a disproportionate share of domestic and care work. A 2021 report from the British Medical Journal found that women worldwide spend three times more time on unpaid housework than men, with the gap being even more significant in low-income countries.
