"Mums told BBC News they were often added to school WhatsApp groups - where parents discuss things like non-uniform days, school trips, birthdays and lost property - as the "default parent", while their partners never joined.
Sophia, a 35-year-old mum of three in Portsmouth, pays for school trips and makes lunch orders on her children's school's app on her phone, but says her husband has never downloaded it.
Sophia says she tried multiple times to explain the concept of the mental load to her husband - but feels he didn't understand and dismissed her concerns as "quick tasks"."
Framing: assertive ·
First seen: 2026-09-06 ·
Last seen: 2026-09-06 ·
Spread: 1 articles