I'm not sure if I like the term 'housewife' .. it's gotten a bad rap over the past few decades. And being called a 'domestic engineer' is a rather silly term meant to cover up an often demeaned and frowned upon profession. I suppose 'homemaker' has a softer more gentle connotation. I didn't just sit around when I was in high school dreaming of being a homemaker. I had plans to work. I did work for six years as a secretary. I think that title has been changed too and is now called 'administrative assistant' ... Currently, my job duties are: organizer/short-order cook/dishwasher/chauffeur/laundress/seamstress/nursemaid/house maid/gardener/landscaper/pet sitter/flag raiser/window washer/go to person when something is lost, dirty, broken or missing/toilet scrubber/brave person to open leftover containers in the fridge/bookkeeper/computer repairman/granny daycare/lost and found/mind reader/soap maker/clothes mender/family historian/purchasing agent and wife to husband, mother of four, grandmother of one. With all of these duty skills under my belt, I'd still have a hard time finding a decent paying job in the corporate world ... because I have 'no experience' staying at home the past 26 years.
14 comments:
So true, Mrs. Mac; just soooo true! No other 'job' in the world holds as much responsiblity, but is less appreciated! Ok, off my soapbox now! Have a blessed day!
Many hugs..........
Diane
We must work for the same employer! About the only thing I don't do is granny daycare, but I've done a bit of that in my day too!
I was an "admin/asst for a while, there's good and bad to working. I did love the interaction with other people, and my paycheck albeit a small one, but it didn't compare with my inborn need to care for my home and family. At times, when I'm feeling all full of myself I do feel we are an unrecognized and unappreciated bunch of women...deemed less intelligent by society, BOY ARE THEY WRONG!
Gotta go do laundry now...
When I was a little girl, I always dreamed of being a housewife, mom, homemaker and a writer..and for the most part have realized that dream....(still working on tht wannabe writer)....there were a few years I had to join the corporate forces....but for the most part it has been an amazing blessing to be a stay at home mom and even more so... a gram.. I hardely ever knew my grandmothers and my daughters never knew theirs.....so I count it sheer joy God made it possible for me to be one and be available for little vera... Thank you Lord.
you are indeed blessed!
Gosh that job description is the same all over the world.............Here I am adding interior decorator, gardener, car wash service, drycleaner, and my favourite has to be motel house keeper (you got to love the bed making) (smiles) and after all that I still have a very fine window for my much loved charity help!!
Saints!! That is what we ALL are! lol lol lol lol!!
Mrs Mac Great! Great! Post.
Lee-ann
this post just made me laugh so hard... with all of what you wrote as a homemaker's job description for 26 years, it still doesn't qualify you for anything in the corporate world. The truth is that no one would be able to afford you, if they had to hire one person each for the different duties you are called upon to do!
Domestic engineer! What an ugly term... it would never be right to call any stay at home mom and wife by that.
I love your subtle sense of humor...
I'll try to email you one of these days when I have a chance to hop over to the neighborhood internet cafe down the road. EMailing from my house here is not possible due to low wifi signal.
At least I can blog!
I know, I know...crazy isn't it?
A handmaiden of the Lord
Proverbs 31 lady
Mrs Mac all these names suit you.
I suffer from Victorian thoughts.
Dear Mrs. Mac,
You would never afford to hire domestic helpers to work 24/7 to do all the work that needs to be done while you are out making a carrier.
To me it seems you live a full and interesting life just where you are.
I had a long carrier as a nurse/teacher for mentally retired when I was flattened by the ME.
I now see it was a blessing in disguise. How could I have become a homemaker at all, if I should have continued working full time night shifts as I did at that time?
I seriously doubt our marriage would have survived.
So except for lack of money and spending too much time in bed, I know I am blessed beyond words.
My education has not been wasted either. Every day I use some of my experience and theory from school just being a mother, a daughter, a friend, a wife, a sister.
I wouldn't trade my life for money!
From Felisol
I don't think my lenses are the color of pretty flowers but I believe that respect is coming back to our natural profession.
Drop by my place later for a bit on one of our most important jobs - feeding the young and unable (some men). Barbara
dear mrs. mac...i think that even with all the work you do that you are a blessed lady and your family is even more blessed to have you.
one time when billy grahem said that a mother and wife deserve a whole lot more credit for what they do, the whole audience stood up and clapped....a standing ovation mrs. mac and that is what you surely deserve!
i see in your list that you didn't mention that you are the leader of a whole gang of praying girls...ha!
love terry
Enjoy time spent with your parents...Sounds like a good time is planned while they visiting with you.
~hugs`
trish
I agree with the job description but I would like to add that us, working women, do all those things and hold a full time job thereby working two full time jobs.
I was very fortunate to grow up with a working mother and two working grandmothers all of whom I am extremely close with and hold much admiration for. As studies have shown and I have experienced personally there are no significant differences in the quality of the relationships between stay at home moms and working moms with their children. Two important differences do exist though. Men who were raised by working moms view the sexes more equally and daughters have more self respect and are more ambitious. These are important for me and I think they are important for the betterment of society.
I am curious to hear what your readers have to say in response. I am interested in an open dialogue about this subject.
Thank you,
Sandy (no I have to get busy and cook dinner and finish a report for work tomorrow :-))
My Hubby was a househusband for 11 years between his military career and his relatively new and very successful teaching career. We decided early-on that we did not want the lifestyle of two full-time employed parents. It was our choice to live on one income and have the lifestyle of on one parent and full-time home manager. BTW, we never said he was 'not working'. We always distinguished that he was 'not employed.'
Sandy Tunnigan, your remarks are judgmental of the choices that Mr. and Mrs. Mac and my Hubby and me have made.
There is no one best way for all in the matter of employment.
Barbara (PhD in Human Development)
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