A mathematical illustration of housekeeping

Over the last nine months, I've come to realize something. The amount of dishes and laundry increases exponentially with each child added to the family. Exponentially. Especially dishes. Especially with a bottle-fed baby.

I've come up with a mathematical equation to illustrate what I mean.

2¹ = 2
When I was a swinging single college student, this was my equation. Where two equals one unit of laundry and one unit of dishes, to the power of one--my single self.

2² = 4
Then I got married. Two people, double the housework. Simple. But, still, two adults to do the work.

2³ = 8

Then we had a baby. And the housework somehow doubled again. And darned if that baby didn't refuse to clean up after himself.

2⁴ = 16

Two kids? The work doubled. Again. There's no way two parents can keep up with a toddler's boundless need to empty everything in reach. At least we've gotten out of bottle feedings every three hours during the night. Only to graduate to adventures in baby food.

2⁵ = 32

When, in some unspecified period of the future, we become a family of five...Let's not think about it. I don't know how single parents do it.

I know, this is silly. And really, I wouldn't trade my life right now. And my husband is really wonderful to help out around the house after a day at work. I just thought I'd put throw out numbers to show the amount of work we as parents don't get paid for. Because a housewife deserves a little respect too, right? Right?