Reading resources from IFN and Liberty event on 09/11/26 - “The Home Contract : Beyond the To-Do List”
Drained, Professor Leah Ruppanner
A sociologist at the University of Melbourne explains why the mental load is so draining and shows how to measure it. She takes apart myths like “women are better multitaskers” and “men can’t see the mess”, and the source of today’s eight types.
> Worth reading for the Mental Load Audit, a practical way to see who is actually carrying what in your house.
Fair Play, Eve Rodsky
This is where the Conception, Planning and Execution idea comes from, built around a deck of cards covering every household task.
It turns “who does what” into a clear system with real ownership and an agreed “minimum standard of care”.
> Probably the most practical book here if you want to go home and actually renegotiate your Home Contract.
Equal Partners, Kate Mangino
A gender expert with 20+ years in international development looks at why men still do less at home, and argues that expectations of men are simply set too low.
She interviewed 40 men who genuinely share half the physical and thinking work, and they describe it as rewarding rather than a sacrifice.
> Worth reading if you want to see what “equal” actually looks like in practice, from men who are already doing it.
The Equal Parent, Paul Morgan-Bentley
Written by a dad who got fed up with parenting advice that assumed fathers were useless compared with mothers.
It mixes his own experience of raising a son with his husband with research from around the world to bust the “mum knows best” myths.
> A good pick for any dad who has ever been treated as the backup parent and suspected that’s wrong.
Dads Don’t Babysit, David Freed and James Millar
Two UK dads take on the “paternity gap”, the reasons fathers end up playing a smaller role in family life.
It covers biological myths, support services aimed only at mums, and why so few couples take up shared parental leave.
> Worth reading if you’re curious why the system nudges dads to the sidelines, even when they want to be fully involved.
Doing It All, Dr Whitney Casares
A paediatrician and working mum writes about the burnout that comes from carrying too much, with 40+ practical exercises.
It’s written for mums, but it’s a useful window into what the default parent is often juggling.
> Possibly one for the women in the room, or for dads who want to understand what their partner might be carrying.
Couples That Work, Jennifer Petriglieri
An INSEAD professor’s research on dual-career couples and the key transitions where their arrangements get set or reset.
It’s about how both careers and the relationship can thrive, rather than one partner quietly giving way.
> Ideal for an audience juggling demanding jobs, because it links what happens at home to who gets to progress at work.