'It's just a bit of craic' - Meath man posts tongue-in-cheek housework videos for men
Not bothering to put a new toilet roll on the its wall holder has prompted a Meath man to create videos to teach men on how to do simple household chores during lockdown.
Michael Gibson has had a huge reaction to his tongue-in-cheek videos which also include what an iron looks like, how to fill a dishwasher and how to mend a hole in a pair of shorts.
The Ratoath father of three says he even learned a few things himself from the videos which he is posting on Facebook as well as on YouTube.
"I've about a dozen made so far. It's just a bit of craic really but the reaction has been brilliant.
"The real reason I started was I went into the bathroom and there was no toilet roll on the holder but loads of rolls around the floor so it was really just to get at some of my own family to replace a toilet roll properly.
"However I went out for a walk and these two women who had seen the video shouted over, asking me to fill a dishwasher so they could get a dig at members of their own family.
"It's all tongue-in-cheek and even I'm learning! After I made one about putting the clothes in the laundry bin, the kids reminded me that I'm the worst in the world for leaving my socks on the floor.
"There are a lot of people, especially men who used to be gone to work from 6am and only home at 7pm and they are in lockdown now and only realising that they are pretty much useless when it comes to a lot of household chores.
"How many times is the dishwasher not filled properly or the bin is emptied but a new liner is never replaced?
"It's all the little things so now they can watch the videos and find out how to do things - or how to not to do them as the case may be."
However Michael's videos have also a more serious side, urging people who suffer with mental health issues not to sit around the house and over-think things but to find something to do, even in jest.
"I set up a Facebook page over a year ago called the Lemonade Kart to share my story of depression in the hope of encouraging others to speak out.
"I've suffered from depression since the age of 11 and there's still a lot of stigma associated with mental health. I had everyone fooled for so long that there was nothing wrong - I was one of the best actors you'd ever meet.
"I'd go into work and put on the performance of a lifetime. Then I'd go home, take that mask off, get into bed and pull the duvet over my head.
"It's important, especially now when everyone will feel a bit down some days in lockdown to get out, get doing something, have fun and talk to someone."
