I am just bouncing these ideas I have heard from native Poles off you. They do not necessarily reflect my own points of view....
Polish males complain the only happy marriage is when they meekly accept the role of pantoflarz (hen-pecked hubby) and go along with everthing the "boss" wife proposes. If they ever disagree, they are in for a battle -- shouting, ridicule, insults, threats, blackmail, tears, silent treatment -- the lot!
But Polish females see things differently. They would love a husband who takes charge and shares the load. Instead the old man feels he has paid his debt to family and society by clocking in his 8-hour day and spends the rest of the day reading the paper, watching TV, drinking beer, fiddling with some private hobby or going out with his mates. That forces wives to take charge and may make them seem to be bossy, but they say there is no alternative if anything is to get done.
Both the above perspectives are turning people away from marriage or at least delaying it to the limits of safe biological maternity. Biologically the ideal age for child-bearing is 23 -- each year after that increases the risk of complications, congenital defects and other problems. Parents close to grandparental age also deprive children of a normal childhood. Such parents, esp. if fairly well to do, may lavish more money on their kids than devoting personal time and effort to them.
Polish males complain the only happy marriage is when they meekly accept the role of pantoflarz (hen-pecked hubby) and go along with everthing the "boss" wife proposes. If they ever disagree, they are in for a battle -- shouting, ridicule, insults, threats, blackmail, tears, silent treatment -- the lot!
But Polish females see things differently. They would love a husband who takes charge and shares the load. Instead the old man feels he has paid his debt to family and society by clocking in his 8-hour day and spends the rest of the day reading the paper, watching TV, drinking beer, fiddling with some private hobby or going out with his mates. That forces wives to take charge and may make them seem to be bossy, but they say there is no alternative if anything is to get done.
Both the above perspectives are turning people away from marriage or at least delaying it to the limits of safe biological maternity. Biologically the ideal age for child-bearing is 23 -- each year after that increases the risk of complications, congenital defects and other problems. Parents close to grandparental age also deprive children of a normal childhood. Such parents, esp. if fairly well to do, may lavish more money on their kids than devoting personal time and effort to them.