THROUGHOUT Brisbane there is now a surplus of men in frilly aprons with a bottle of cleaning spray and cloth in hand, saying, "What next, honey?"
This new craze is the result of a recent study in the US.
The findings indicated that one sure-fire way to bring romance back into your relationship is getting the male partner to do more housework.
Doing more housework means the female partner will be less tired, feel more valued and as a result will likely feel like some loving when she gets to bed, instead of just "zzzz".
If only bringing romance back into all relationships was that simple.
I suspect that it is not so much about the housework but more about your partner demonstrating acts of kindness and support.
Indeed, to a working mum, housework is a high priority.
But does a woman's libido actually rise at the sight of her man leaning seductively over a vacuum cleaner? I don't think so.
The results of this study demonstrate that having a partner who participates equally in housework makes a woman feel respected and understood.
It also means she is not using all of her energy on dreary housework but instead may actually enjoy a movie or a glass of wine with her partner at the end of the day.
An equal division of labour may indeed be a solution to a happier and healthier marriage for some folks.
But what happens when your man is doing great stuff in the housework department but still the sparks are not flying?
As mum Sharon, 31, from Belmont, on Brisbane's southside, says: "It is strange. We have a two-year-old daughter and being a mum is great, very fulfilling, but I find it not very sexy at all.
"I don't feel like a 'yummy mummy', in fact I feel quite the opposite.
"I feel guilty about this – I suppose we avoid talking about it on some level.
"After being with my daughter all day and standing there cooking dinner waiting for my husband to get home, the last thing I am thinking about is becoming a seductress in the bedroom later on. On the days that I am working, I can barely keep my eyes open after 7pm."
Sex therapist Dr Laura Berman suggests that it is not unusual for sex lives to become much less of a priority when children are involved.
Although it is normal for there to be highs and lows in any couple's relationship, it is really important not to let this lull in your sex life become the norm. A mutually satisfying sex life is a crucial part of a healthy, long-term relationship, she says.
With the upcoming cooler months ahead of us, Berman suggests bringing some romance, spontaneity and fun into your marriage.
We all need a reminder of the simple but essential things that can make our relationships bloom.
