To think being a housewife might be nice ?

[Felixss]

I'm on leave I've managed to get the housework done the deep cleaning , decluttered, sorted my clothes and 3 tip runs. I've washed the covers on the sofa and got through a mountain of laundry. Food shop delivered, put away and ordered DDs new shoes. I'm going to sand down and paint DDs chest of drawers. To top it off I've cooked a lovely healthy meal for the family.
I feel really pleased I've managed to do all the jobs I've been meaning to do. I'm always snowed under stressed from work and end up not doing it all. I do have a cleaner but they don't do the nitty gritty really.

AIBU to think being a house wife actually might be nice ? Less pressure and you can complete all the home stuff at your leisure. 🤣 I wouldn't do this as I've worked so hard to get where I am but I can see why it might be tempting.

I should add similarly when I’m away with friends or something he’s responsible for it all.

I'm a housewife and I love it, although I appreciate it isn't for everyone. Do I feel massively judged for my life choices? Yep! Do I give a shit? Nope!

I was OK being at home for a while after having a baby but when I went back to work, part time, I felt much, much better. It was good for me to not only have my own money with which I made a good contribution plus extras, but to be out and about, nicely dressed and mixing with other people.

My mother and in laws were not keen on me going to work (the mums never did work), but after a while they could see it was a good thing and were marvellous helping with child care. However I did only work part time for a few years, two days a week at first, later different. I didn't go back full time until much later.

It all depends on the individual. Some are happy being at home and involved with local activities. That was not my scene. I liked working.

So If you claim benefits you shouldn't have the same choice?

Do any of these ‘housewives’ care about the gender pay gap and what it means for their daughters? Do they understand it?

I did it for seven years and it was fabulous. Lots of time for other interests, coffee with friends as well, etc. Then dd started reception and I found myself putting drops of baby oil on a damp cloth so there were never finger marks on the stainless steel utilities. Every time the oven was pristine I hoped it would have a conversation with me. It didn't so I went back to work.

Well of course it would be great. What's not to like about not having to go to work? Unfortunately, I need my salary.

People on MN get so dramatic and vitriolic on this issue. God knows why. Also so many people are projecting their own marriage dynamics / financial situations in order to make sweeping statements about women who SAH. As if they can't imagine that all women and all families are different to them. Quite strange.

I think I can honestly say that I have never been bored for a single minute during my entire life. When I was a stay at home mum/housewife I always had so much to occupy myself with but I never spent my time having manicures, coffee mornings etc. Before my daughter started school, a huge proportion of my time was spent playing with her, talking to her, going to parks, museums etc. Once she started in Reception, then I had the time to redecorate the house and remodel the garden. I've had two longish periods of time when I was off sick from work but apart from that, I've never been in a position where I had time to sit on the sofa watching daytime tv or going out for coffee or lunch with friends, and I've never had any sort of beauty treatment in my life. I went back to work last time when my daughter was eight out of necessity but would never have done so otherwise. Money was very tight for much of the time that I was at home with my daughter but we expected and planned for that and we're happy to go without holidays etc because we both felt that one of us being at home with her full time would give her the best start in life. My husband earned quite a lot more than me at that time and it made sense for me to be the one to stay at home - besides which, I wanted to anyway.

I’d always worked (single lone parent etc) but after I met and moved in with my lovely oh, my boss of over 5 years went really funny and it ended with him screaming in my face in a meeting and then trying to discipline me for not wanting to go on a non essential meeting hours away from the office.

Think it was jealousy, he’s a very insecure person and couldn’t take lil ole poorly paid and previously vulnerable me having a house/lifestyle waaaay better than his.

I effectively lost my job there and then.

Luckily I had house projects to do initially but when I’d managed all the works and had no job at all, it got VERY boring very quickly. Even though I was on full pay for quite a while it was my mind that hated the lack of stimulation. All my friends had jobs so nobody to talk to or hang out with.

a few days to reset is wonderful, but when that’s all you have to do it’s mind numbing. I work out, but there’s only so much you can do.

So I got a WFH PT job in lockdown and now get to connect with some brilliant people, travel and manage my own diary pretty much. It’s perfect as I have the best of both worlds, am able to be here to manage the house etc and it all works. Going for a doggy play date with my boss later, because I want to. :)

It could have and should have been very nice indeed for all concerned: wife, husband and family. But men had to go and ruin it by treating their "housewives" badly... restricting access to money, lack of respect, not helping with the children, having affairs etc.
We have shot ourselves in the feet!

I loved being a SAHM with small children

We were never in. Always off doing something or other.

I have sat in an office using my brain and would sit their with tears running down my face so bored. The tedium was too much. In the end after 2 years I had a nervous breakdown. Woke up one morning and couldn’t move. Took me a year to get well enough to face work.
Did this 3 times and in the end I gave up.

Turns out I have adhd and office work and ADHD don’t mix

Same here

I wouldn’t really say I was a Stay at home mum as I was always out of the house

Both dc have ADHD and staying at home meant the house got trashed.

Going out was far less work and so much more interesting

Gender pay Gap

The one where men just say they are women and then womens pay becomes more in line with mens pay?

"never been bored for a single minute in my whole life"

the people posting these comments can't be real ffs!

Ah you don’t understand. Point proven. Thanks.

Drama and vitriol?
Where?
It's a discussion

Great way to shut women down though, hush you silly women don't be dramatic

All of this

I was a SAHM for 6 weeks after the birth of DS. That was the mat leave entitlement at that time : 11-12 weeks pre- .& 6-7 weeks post-.
I was bored witless, glad to get him into nursery & back to adult company at work.

Sounds a dull life OP.

Working part time gives a good balance and means that our house is usually clean and tidy. I was a SAHM for several years, before both my children started school. However, our house was typically a mess when I had toddlers at home, despite the fact that I did much more cleaning and trying.

As far as I am aware my Dd doesn't have ADHD but we had to go to the park nearly every day otherwise the day would be difficult! It got rather boring. 🤣

@washrinse

I would absolutely zero housework if my oh was a househusband.

After all he wouldn't be making any money.

No I don’t understand it

Please tell me about it.

I suppose it depends if you feel fulfilled after doing all the housework and other SAH chores.