What’s a job? [reblogged]
I first posted this as a guest post at HuesofMaple / WordAllure one year ago and I think this deserves a renewed attention now that I’m once again a stay at home mom.
In a modern country like Norway, people often expect the men and women to have equal (not balance) responsibility.
Whenever I tell that Iām a full-time housewife, what follows is, āSo you donāt have a job?ā
What?
Did I not just say what my job was?
What makes housewives (or househusbands) less of a job than 9 to 5 office work? In fact, being a full-time stay at home parents is a 24h duty.
I read an article once of a man speaking to his marriage counselor.
The counselor asked: āSo you think itās unfair because you mean that youāre the only one with a job?ā
The man: āI am the only one with a job.ā
The counselor: āWhat does your wife do when you wake up in the morning?ā
The man: āShe makes breakfast, prepare lunchbox for me and the kids and drive them to school. Because she has no job.ā
The counselor: āAfter driving them to school she goes home and relax?ā
The man: āNo, she usually gets the groceries, because she has no jobā
The counselor: āThen she relaxes after that?ā
The man: āShe cleans the house and does the chores because she has no job.ā
The counselor: āAnd what does she do in the afternoon?ā
The man: āShe fetches the kids and prepares our dinner because she has no jobā
The counselor: āAt night. Does she go to bed with all of you?ā
The man: āNo, she usually stays up and do the dishes, and do some advance preparation for the next day, because she has no jobā
At this point, I stop reading the damn article because I might punch my computer out of anger. In the story, it was a woman, but Iām sure it happens to men too.
They criticized my uncle as a bum for being a househusband. I always defended him (including from my mother) because god, the man does all the work in the house and raise his three kids with a little help from his wife!
Salute to all stay-at-home mom and dads out there.
Thank you for reading!
Jessica / Jessie
Jessica / Jessie Winterspring is a time travel romance fanatic who loves writing fiction about ordinary people with extraordinary experiences. She blogs music inspired stories, poems, micro-fictions, moments in life. She enjoy spending time outdoors, adore animals and traveling with her family. She like anything unusual and fun. CLICK HERE to read more about her or CLICK HERE to view her books
14 Comments
stevescountry
So very true Jessica, I agree with you totally on this!ššø
Jessica E. Larsen
Thanks Steve. I rarely rant but there are things I just have to say before I go crazy haha š
stevescountry
Rants can be good sometimes though!ššŗ
Jessica E. Larsen
ā¤ Thanks Steve š
stevescountry
My pleasure!
Jim Borden
three cheers for stay at home moms! I hope all of you are well!
Jessica E. Larsen
Thanks Jim I’m sure no one else can sympathise better than a parent like you š
Jim Borden
We do have an insiders perspective!
popsiclesociety
It is indeed a 24h job!
Salute to all stay-at-home mom and dads out there š
Stay safe and stay healthy! šš¤šø
Jessica E. Larsen
Thanks Ribby ā¤ Stay safe too š
Simon
That was well said, the gender discrimination was eliminated āØ I appreciate that view of yours. I am with you, I would’ve done the same, punch their face. Great Post Jessica āØš
Jessica E. Larsen
šŖš haha š thanks Simon.
Dracul Van Helsing
Salute to you, Jessica. šš»
Jessica E. Larsen
Aw, thank you so much Chris! ā¤ļø