Sacrificing my Housework for the better good . . . Ya think?

I read an interesting article today that said that housework could put off the effects of Alzheimer's. The reasoning behind this was pretty much that anything you keep doing will keep your mind and body active and functioning. Even if we become physically slow, standing to do dishes, running a dust cloth over furniture, etc., would all contribute to the well-being of your brain. It made good sense because keeping your mind active could very well keep your mind!

Now, I don't particularly like housework but do it because I like a clean house. I have my set chores for each day of the week to keep things within the realm of comfortable cleanliness. I thought to myself, "Well, I certainly don't have to worry about my mind given the work ethic is engrained in me after almost 30 years of marriage and four children." Upon further reflection, as I scrubbed out a bathtub, was how I could be seriously considered selfish because I was getting all the early 'medical' health just my doing my housework. My poor husband, who is five years my senior, was stuck at the office without the benefit of these mine-preserving activities. I didn't weep but probably should have at this point.

My darling husband was five years closer to adversely 'mellowing' out his brain while I spent each and every day in housework exercise. I am so selfish. The only solution is to save some of this brain exercise for him. Believe me, it won't be easy to give up scrubbing out shower stalls or sweeping floors but we are talking about my husband's mental health here.

Complacent with the thought of reducing my housework (with great sorrow, of course, but what is sacrifice, after all?), I realized that I wasn't talking in the whole picture on this subject. My eighteen year old still lives at home. How can I deprive him of help now for his future? Why would an eighteen year old need to worry about his mental capacity now? Training for the future! How can one incorporate an exercise program when the ol' brain is already slowing down? Yes, I need to provide my son with immediate help ! Sigh . . . That means I will have to turn over the other half of my chores to him and he will have to balance his studies with his mental exercise program.

Yes, yes, I realize that leaves me without any housework but that's what being a wife and mother is all about . . . thinking of others first. :-) Naturally, I haven't broached the subject with my son or husband yet otherwise this essay could be entirely different.