In thinking being a SAHM is work?

[morepizza]

Work is defined as:

noun
noun: work; plural noun: works; plural noun: the works
1 1. 
activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result.

I think this includes SAH parental duties. I know a lot of people don't agree with me. What else would it be called?

Why would you want it to be considered work in the sense of a job? That would imply whoever is supporting you is paying your wage, do you think they should do performance reviews?

Oh yes! Another one.

SAHP is fine. It's not a job no but it's work.

being taken for granted

@Namechangedlady

Why would you want it to be considered work in the sense of a job? That would imply whoever is supporting you is paying your wage, do you think they should do performance reviews?

I don't

Are you planning to say it’s your job on your CV or something?!

Why would you want it to be considered work in the sense of a job? That would imply whoever is supporting you is paying your wage, do you think they should do performance reviews?

I don't

What’s the point of this thread?

@Shirleyphallus

It’s work but it isn’t a job or a career. It’s also a real luxury to be able to dick around from home looking after children than the mental graft of a proper job

Would you also class a job like teaching as 'dicking about looking after children'?

Just curious.

Its not work any more than a single person tidying their own house or washing their own clothes.

@Namechangedlady

Why would you want it to be considered work in the sense of a job? That would imply whoever is supporting you is paying your wage, do you think they should do performance reviews?

I do sometimes think that could be quite handy! Someone coming in and telling you that you are in fact doing OK! I guess that's what happens when they start school though. The hard work pays off!

No it's not work.

You can’t compare the two at all! How strange.

Definitely work. Not the hardest or most stressful job I've ever done unfortunately for me but definitely the most thankless and isolating!

@Viviennemary

Its not work any more than a single person tidying their own house or washing their own clothes.

Is that not called housework?

@AnoDeLosMuertos

You can’t compare the two at all! How strange.

Compare what?

I'm a SAHM and it's bloody hard work sometimes!

But no, I don't feel the need to start using a different word. Childwork sounds a bit odd imo

It is work.

Although there is (overall) more chance to organise the day according to your own design than there would be going out to work.

@skippy67

No it's not work.

But by definition it is. Its not a job. But it is work.

It's the hardest job ever but you're not employed.

Yeah I'd consider it work I think, at least before they reach school age.

I don't envy anyone who does it, wouldn't consider it a luxury at all!

@Shirleyphallus

It’s work but it isn’t a job or a career. It’s also a real luxury to be able to dick around from home looking after children than the mental graft of a proper job

I don't dick around, I Fanny around!

@SleepingStandingUp

It is work. Hard work. It isn't a job. Although if you're a registered carer for your child it's a shittly paid job.

This a million percent.

@mangojango

It's the hardest job ever but you're not employed.

I'd think being a paediatric surgeon or oncologist would be harder

Childwork does sound odd. I wasnt making a serious suggestion! Just pondering that housework is a word used to cover household chores and we say work to cover all kinds of fun and voluntary situations but there is always a huge resistence to describing anything to do with raising a child as work.

I'm a sahm and agree it's bloody hard work! It's relentless and challenging and I have one easy child!

I think the confusion lies with people saying 'work' and meaning 'employment'.

I consider anything I’d pay someone else to do to be work. In some countries unpaid work (like childcare, and caring for elderly parents) is included in GDP.