The Happy Homemaker

Right off the top I want to say that I usually reserve this space for subjects that are positive.  I try to write about the good things that are going on in my world, even if some days it seems very hard to remember the good things.  But today I found myself extremely annoyed with the plight of homemakers and I thought I should share.  So please forgive this little rant for today and join me in tipping your hat to homemakers.

I arrived home from our NB trip to find that we had been chosen to fill out the National Household Survey.  When you're a form lover, like me, this is exciting news!  But when I got to the questions about work, my enthusiasm fizzled out.  When asked how many paid hours I had worked during a specified time, my answer was "0" -- no big deal, right?  Then it wanted to know why I hadn't worked during that time period.  Was I temporarily laid-off, on vacation, ill, on strike or locked out.  No, no, no, no, and no -- hmmmm, something's missing.  Was I going to start a new job soon?  No! -- my annoyance is growing.  Was I looking for work?  NO! -- Stop the bus!  Why is there no option for me?  Nowhere was the option of staying home -- homemaker, stay at home mom, home manager ... whatever you want to call it -- an option.  How can it be that my chosen "career" has been totally dismissed as unimportant and unworthy?

Now, I'll be the first to tell you that keeping house is not my forte, in fact, if your coming to visit it's best to call ahead.  But I do feel strongly that what I do is important and meaningful.  Just to be clear, I do NOT want to imply that the work that mothers who choose to work outside the home is any less important or meaningful.  Their strong feelings lean in a different direction and I respect that.  But I should also be respected for my decision to stay home.  I will never win the contest for the tidiest house or the tastiest meals (although I do make a mean loaf of bread) or the cleanest kids, but I have chosen -- yes, chosen -- to stay at home and that, I think, deserves some respect.  Now would it be asking too much to have a little box to check that says: "mother, teacher, cook, cleaner, mediator, chauffeur, hug giver, story teller, fixer of wounds, playmate, encourager and bed time tucker-inner"?  I didn't think so.

There, I'm done.  Thanks for your indulgence.