any housewives out there?
Comments
-
Bloke here :cool:
We have been married 41 years:eek:
My wife has looked after our two children, cleaned the house, cooked and has worked locally whenever she could at the various RAF stations across the world.
Her salary:- My undying love and devotion.
I have provided
Diy skills
Gardening
Chauffeur
Financier
Travel agent
Lover
Emotional support
My salary:- Her undying love.
Priceless.
No "expert" could evaluate the price of true love.
Interesting that you don't list lover in your wife's skill set but perhaps we shouldn't pry.:D
Like most men, you don't seem to appreciate the difference between the list of responsibilities you have and those you list as hers - perhaps you should ask her about this....0 -
I'm sure this comes up every few years or so - and it does make a very valid point about how much it would cost if all of that effort was outsourced. And some families do choose to do exactly that if they can afford it.fibonarchie wrote: »Experts have done the sums, and it appears that if housewives were actually paid for what they do (namely, childcare, cleaning, etc) their annual salary would be in the region of £48k
Of course - the really traditionalist answer is that the main earner in the household was paying them by providing a house and "housekeeping" money. Hence the term housewife or " just a housewife" is seen by some as a lesser achievement than having a career because it implies (to them) being kept by/relying on a man. Not a popular idea with feminists even when there are still women who would prefer/choose/seek that option if available.It was an interesting programme, and sparked off several trains of discussion, - among them: should housewives be paid for what they do, and (more contentiously) has feminism made it difficult for women to make the choice to be a housewife these days. In fact the term 'housewife' itself is seen as a sort of a put-down, by many people.
Well - why aren't you paying him then?My other half is a 'house husband'. Would love him to get paid for looking after the house!
Yeah - the reality for many is/was that the more feminine half of the partnership does/did all/most of that as well as possibly working part-time. The split is more equitable than it used to be 50 years ago but I bet it's quite variable. The list that blindman just quoted is a good point - the traditional assumption is that the more masculine half of a partnership also contributes DIY, gardening, heavy-lifting, car maintenance etc. and if those were costed in at commercial rates would it approach the same figure?
It's up to any partnership to make an equitable decision as to how to split those necessities and whether to do them in-house or outsource according to skill, time and funding. Or the best compromise they can...Wash your Knobs and Knockers... Keep the Postie safe!0 -
I don't understand people that say they are 'busy' when they are a stay at home Mum.
I raised two young children (now 4 and 5 so small age gap) whilst running an eBay business and still had plenty of time left over, I later went on to run a photography business and started a degree - and these three over lapped at one point with the kids being about 3 & 4...Luckily the eBay and photography fit well because the photography was more a summer boom and the eBay was more xmas it got serouisly busy but I don't forget the days where I was up till 2am in the morning then getting back up in the morning and finding time to study....then woman on the school run who stand around for 30-60min (which I don't have a problem with) talking, go on about how busy they are and tired from looking after the children....
It really does not take '40 hours' to clean a house, cook dinner and/or make pack lunches....
Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with stay at home mums, it's just I don't believe you can class yourself as being busy or hard done to. I find it difficult when woman say that the man does nothing round the house, when they aren't working a job and he is out the house for 10 hours a day + and if he complains he is tired it's 'wrong' because they have been looking after the kids.People don't know what they want until you show them.0 -
I'm sure this comes up every few years or so - and it does make a very valid point about how much it would cost if all of that effort was outsourced. And some families do choose to do exactly that if they can afford it.
Of course - the really traditionalist answer is that the main earner in the household was paying them by providing a house and "housekeeping" money. Hence the term housewife or " just a housewife" is seen by some as a lesser achievement than having a career because it implies (to them) being kept by/relying on a man. Not a popular idea with feminists even when there are still women who would prefer/choose/seek that option if available.
Well - why aren't you paying him then?
Yeah - the reality for many is/was that the more feminine half of the partnership does/did all/most of that as well as possibly working part-time. The split is more equitable than it used to be 50 years ago but I bet it's quite variable. The list that blindman just quoted is a good point - the traditional assumption is that the more masculine half of a partnership also contributes DIY, gardening, heavy-lifting, car maintenance etc. and if those were costed in at commercial rates would it approach the same figure?
It's up to any partnership to make an equitable decision as to how to split those necessities and whether to do them in-house or outsource according to skill, time and funding. Or the best compromise they can...
Because they earned less than the "more masculine" half of the partnership.
You're also mking the same mistake as Blindman does in equating the two different areas of responsibility.0 -
Kayalana99 wrote: »I don't understand people that say they are 'busy' when they are a stay at home Mum.
Thanks for posting that. Like you, I really can't understand how anyone could spend 40 hours a week on housework!:eek:
I feel strongly that women have had equal opportunities in education for over 70 years and some feel that it's OK to use that to do housework. Of course I understand that women physically have the children and not all relationships work out but to turn childcare and house work into a full time job is a cop out IMO.0 -
Thanks for posting that. Like you, I really can't understand how anyone could spend 40 hours a week on housework!:eek:
I feel strongly that women have had equal opportunities in education for over 70 years and some feel that it's OK to use that to do housework. Of course I understand that women physically have the children and not all relationships work out but to turn childcare and house work into a full time job is a cop out IMO.
I am with you on the housework, but for pre school children I think that is an unfair statement.0 -
0
-
happyandcontented wrote: »I am with you on the housework, but for pre school children I think that is an unfair statement.
I know what you mean but surely you can combine childcare with housework or socialising with friends/family or shopping or whatever. Of course there will be some dedicated time like reading stories or playing a game with them but most of the time I found I worked round them or they 'helped'.;)0 -
I know what you mean but surely you can combine childcare with housework or socialising with friends/family or shopping or whatever. Of course there will be some dedicated time like reading stories or playing a game with them but most of the time I found I worked round them or they 'helped'.;)
Indeed you can, but that does not negate the fact that if done properly everything is else is fitted in around the needs of the children, so it is a full time job. Therefore, if that is what some women choose to do then that is/should be perfectly acceptable, hence, using words like 'cop out' is derogatory, anti choice and certainly not what the feminist movement fought for.0 -
There's a big difference between looking after pre school children / engaging with them / playing games / taking them out V's being present in the house whilst they entertain themselves..With love, POSR
0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 343.1K Banking & Borrowing
- 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 449.7K Spending & Discounts
- 235.2K Work, Benefits & Business
- 607.9K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 173K Life & Family
- 247.8K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards