Do housewives still exist?

[Mumteedum]

Had a funny moment in the supermarket this week where a lady was grumbling about something and we had a little small talk about how busy it is at Xmas and supermarket moving things so you can't find stuff. She referred to 'harassed housewives ' and I said 'yes and non housewives too'. She sort of apologised but I hadn't meant it to be as if I'd taken offense so made a joke of it all and all nice and fine, the end.

But it just felt like a word from another era. I remember mum saying she was a housewife. Are there any housewives these days?

I found it really odd that the lady would assume anyone was a housewife these days.

So, in essence, you noticed a chance to make a pointless snide comment?

Yes I agree

I don't know anyone who'd describe themselves as a housewife, it's such an old fashioned term. But I do know more than one person who is a stay at home parent. Don't love that term either, tbh.

I have a son with ASN though and there are a disproportionate amount of families where they just need someone at home in that community.

Oh and one other acquaintance whose husband works off shore, obviously he was not available for any childcare at all when he was working so she gave up work when she had her first baby and hasn't been able to find anything else now the kids are older. She does loads of voluntary work but I think she'd love to find a job.

Stay at home mum

I’m a housewife, a mother, a carer, an employer, an employed, etc etc. We all are more than one word surely?

But presumably you do let someone else look after them so you can work (unless they are actually 16!)

Plenty, it's also a legal term on forms (as is househusband) meaning that you are supporting by your spouse financially with no imminent intention of returning to work, this contrasts with being a sahm which may just be for a year or two

But some of those words aren’t mutually compatible. If you work outside the home, you’re not a housewife, for instance.

I'm a housewife although I tend to put homemaker on forms etc.

Yes, but you can't launch into your best rendition of Meredith Brooks when the insurance company asks you what you do.

Ha! Well, I was being polite. She was a nice lady ☺️

Homemaker is American though isn't it?

It is American. I do like it though. It doesn't denote sex or marital status, despite it being assumed, and it gives a flavour of the activity and the value it brings.

Well, I guess they must because that's what I am.

Stay at home mum. It’s a term I’ve only learned on here.

yes Me

I don't work due to ill health, and children are grown up

Whaaaaat? 😂😂😂😂😂

I use ‘independently wealthy’ when asked. I don’t work, I’m independently wealthy. People never ask any more questions. That I’m wealthy enough not to work thanks to dh working abroad is not anyone else’s business.

I quite like 'lady who lunches', but am still settling on my personal description. Retired, technically, but that seems to confuse people at my age. Not a housewife because I'm not married, or dependent on my DP (or much interested in the house). Flaneuse, perhaps.

Interesting, I always read housewife as ‘married to the house’ rather than to a husband!

Wait, don't tell me, you are one of those people who won't be happy until women write unemployed, devaluing all work and and activity that doesn't generate a tax revenue?

I'm a housewife, although I'm now in receipt of a workplace pension from a job i left over 20 years ago, so I can now say I'm retired instead - although I'm a good few years off State Pension age.

How so? Like many many people I WFH.

It’s sometimes all the things some women do whilst having disabilities, mh problems, being a carer, looking after a child with disabilities or any number of things. Not everyone is able to do what they do at home and have a job as well. For some, they’re not capable of earning more than the cost of childcare either.

I'm one. But not because we don't need the money. It's because of illness. So when people ask what I do I say "I don't work" but I guess I'm a housewife.

But to me that's by choice either because your partner has a good wage or you have babies or toddlers / school age kids.