Need to justify being a housewife?

Women can be absolute *****es ...

It’s nobody’s business who does what. But I do resent when people insinuate or directly say that moms have to stay home to provide stable home life for kids. I beg to differ. Last time a woman stayed home in our family was in 1910s, not even 1920s. And we all have stable home lives, stay out of trouble and are successful.

There is no proof that stay home moms provide better home than career driven women. I think people should do whatever the heck they want, provided their partners are on board with it. To each it’s own. But I know that judgment goes both ways

The term is so outdated and misogynistic!

Our society has always belittled women … especially women who choose to stay at home. I take great offense that I am treated like I am worthless because I don’t have tax returns from an employer. What if my husband had to pay for all of the services I provide?

Me and the other ‘housewives’ are much more capable than most men! I can hang drywall, fix electrical, change the oil in the car, figure out what herbs heal, find foods that are healthy, grow my own food, provide first aid, do taxes, balance a budget, … and on and on and on. So if a man had that many talents, and skills, what would he be called? A renaissance man? A renaissance man who is revered and admired. What am I called? A housewife! A lowly housewife! According to society I am worthless and don’t contribute and have to justify my choice and existence? Bollocks!

Women who treat you poorly because you take care of the home are just jealous. They are angry that they have to go into the workplace and get a paycheck. Maybe they are jealous that they aren’t as smart or capable or didn’t choose that path.

I truly love staying at home and taking care of the household and learning all the skills I do on a regular basis. I prefer to get joy out of what I do than slugging it out in the workplace. It’s a societal necessity that one partner stay home to care for it, and or, the children and it sucks that the one that stays home is treated with so little respect by our society. Maybe it’s just a capitalist society problem? Regardless … I’m tired of being trivialized by that label!

I read somewhere the amount of money someone would have to pay to do all the things the typical housewife does. I'm sorry people make us think we need to justify being a housewife. It is an honorable profession.

You don't need to justify....anything that you do. Everyone has an opinion...and yours is the only one that is relevant.

Unfortunately my mom gave me a bad taste for the concept of housewife. I knew other mothers seemed so much more capable than my mom & many worked too.

My dad did ALL the repairs around the house. All my mom did was clean the tiny 1000 sq ft home they could afford & cook. She didn't drive & was totally dependent on my dad for everything including going any place. I resented that other kids could be in Girl Scouts & other after school activities & lessons because their mom's could drive. My parents didn't know anyone & because she couldn't share in the driving she felt it was wrong for me to constantly depend on others.

Growing up in the house with my "housewife" mom left me with a totally bad view of being a housewife & I swore I would be NOTHING like my mom.

It was only later in life when I really got to know other women who were housewives & found out all they really did other than just assuming as I did when I was a kid that I realized just how dysfunctional both my parents were & my mom's housewifing was really nothing like REAL housewives. My respect has grown 100%.

Funny because when I was college age (70's), there was pressure to justify my college degree & my computer engineering career. Not wanting to be like my mom was how I justified it in my mind.

I do wish it had a different name. There is housewife, SAHM, and homemaker...not sure which is better.

Nobody ever criticized me for it, but if they had, I’d have laughed in their face. Somebody always has something snotty to say about anything you do.

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Originally Posted by sarahsweets I do wish it had a different name. There is housewife, SAHM, and homemaker...not sure which is better.

I actually think "Domestic Engineer" is actually the most appropriate because it does take ALL of the skills to be an engineer to be a GOOD housewife. It takes the ability to design from just a thought. It takes planning to bring a house together. It takes budgeting & time management to bring it all together on schedule & under budget. Besides the mechanical skills needed to make it work.

I think "domestic engineer" sounds terrific. Eskie, I hope you will popularize the term.

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Originally Posted by AspiringAuthor I think "domestic engineer" sounds terrific. Eskie, I hope you will popularize the term.

That has actually been around for a long time. Think I first heard it in the 80's. Not sure why it never became popular.

I was actually a computer design engineer which was probably why "domestic engineer" caught my attention.