With the kind of society and age we now live in, women tend to be more career driven. I am one of those who has a career because I need to have one to support both my own and my daughter's needs. But if I had a choice, I would rather be a stay-at-home mom and just do business or freelance work in the comfort of my own home. I'm tired of 8-5 full time jobs that don't pay much and keeps me away from my daughter 5 days a week. What are your thoughts on this? Would you rather stay at home or do you feel more fulfilled when you have a career outside the home? For the guys/husbands, what would you like your wife/girlfriend to be?
[question posted by steney]
responses and comments:
I am career driven woman,i am an lecturerilove teaching and made it my profession,to fulfill the daily requirements earning is essential.I realy like my wifes profession because it is of limited hours,and she isable to look after me and my kids.She helps in my earnings to fulfill our dreams. [neerajm]
Glad it works well for the both of you. What you have is a good balance of career and family life. Thanks for sharing. :) [steney]
I am too crazy to do nine to five again lol. Either the bosses try to grope your butt or you get loads of bitchy girls trying to hog your space. Man Have I lived it all..from the West end to London Underwriters in the East end of the City lol. I like to work from home and I can run it all as I like. I am working on a plan at the moment to get my Hubby out of nine to five so he can Help me build some websites I need for my business and to help me maintain them and the admin, alongside our creative things. If we can work for ourselves why not? I am quite traditional, yet progressive at the same time, one can be both. [yanjiaren]
thank you so much..i hate when people call housewives vegetables! [yanjiaren]
I enjoy being a stay at home mother. I don't think of it as being a "plain housewife," though. I think of it as what I am called to do and be...a wife and mother, responsible for overseeing the things which turn a house into a home and turn children into mature, responsible adults. I had a career as an elementary school teacher, but I never found it to be as fulfilling as what I have been doing for the last 21 years as a mother. [TeresaK]
Actually, I meant to put stay-at-home wife, but it's too late to change it as I already hit start discussion. In our country, in surveys or other applications, if the woman is not working, they write plain housewife in the blank. I think it's a term more commonly used here. I don't know why there's the word "plain" though. Anyways, I think you're one of the ideal mothers around and I must agree that there is no career more fulfilling than being a mother. Thanks for sharing. :) [steney]
I'm a stay at home mom, I don't like the term "plain housewife", that sounds like we are boring! I feel very fulfilled that I get to stay at home and see everything that my son does. I am also grateful that my husband makes enough money so I can do that. [mememama]
well, plain housewife isn't that nice to hear. my mom is a housewife but we don't call her as plain housewife. she's the best there is and she's a mom who took care of us. and she's not boring at all! [maryannemax]
I would definitely love to be a career woman as i am an enterprising person...I just cant sit at home all day cooking, cleaning, etc. I need to have a job. earn good money and buy things that ive always longed for...Hence, sitting at home is not a good option for me.. [DIOSAMER]
DIOSAMER Stay at home moms do not do any sitting. They are going and doing all day long. [deebomb]
I am neither. I have the choice to take work assignments if I want to. The choice to stay home is also there. Any money I make is mine to keep. My husband is very supportive. Thus, I am a both. However, I would never call myself "plain" housewife. There is absolutely nothing plain about me. I am driven in all that I do. [Yestheypayme2dothis]
Most women would want to be in your shoes, especially the "Any money I make is mine to keep" part. Most husbands would want their wives to share everything with them. Yeah, as to the plain part, women are definitely not plain. We are very diverse yet we are generally strong, driven and productive. :) [steney]
I would like o have a plain career woman............ Who works like a perfect houswife when at home........ and do good in her job too ehen at work...... I just want a good wife dont matter she want to do something or not .... I just want her to love me and respect my family. [zangozango]
I wish guys are more like you. :) [steney]
my boyfriend and i talked about this months ago. i always say i wanna have my own career and he is okey with the idea. i wanna help out my mom and siblings back here in the philippines and support them to the fullest i can. and he understands. i am just lucky to have an understanding boyfriend. [maryannemax]
It's really good to have an understanding partner to begin with-- someone who will not keep ou away from your dreams and goals, but instead is supportive of them. :) [steney]
I personally would love to be a stay at home mom but that is not possible for we need the money to support our family and to continue living. I would love to be able to stay at home and be able to take my children to whatever I wanted and to spend the day with them taking them to school, picking them up, dance classes, swim classes. You know that kind of fun stuff. And then I would always have the house clean throughout the day and my husband would just have to worry about working and coming home and spending time with us. [Blazing15]
I know exactly what you mean, and would like the same thing for myself too. If money is not an issue, it can easily be done. And all we have to worry about is taking care of our families. :) [steney]
I do not have kids yet, and I am more focused on starting a career. I need to work on something that I am passionate about, otherwise I will have a lot of regrets. [easherly]
Enjoy it while you can, when you start to have your own family, choices have to be made and it's really difficult. Thanks! :) [steney]
I would hope that u dun mean plain as in boring. I was a successful careeer woman w my own business b4 I became a mom and let me tell u, it's harder than being a career woman. I had more time for myself b4 I became a full time mom, but I wouldn't give up what I do now for a career. My child will be grown and out teh door before I know what's hit me and he deserves the best I can give him. My career can wait. My husband and I discussed what we would do b4 we had kids and we decided that I'd stay home. Its not easy esp since we struggly financially, but I would rather that and my child have his mom than have someone else raise him w their values and beliefs and he runs to them for comfort instead of me. [delenep]
Yes, I agree, it's tougher to be a mom and wife than a career woman. It's the hardest job in the world, but the noblest one. Thanks for sharing. :) [steney]
I was a career driven person and thought I always would be. My mom was a stay at home mom and was never passionate about anything so she tried to instill that in both my sister and I. All of this changed however with the arrival of my 5 week old daughter. Now I want nothing more than to stay at home with her. Before I was working 50+ hours per week and I couldn't imagine going back to that. I don't want to pay someone else to raise my daughter and I don't want to miss out on all those milestones. So, we're planning on me staying home with the baby and hopefully babies as long as financially possible. [emma412]
One of the main reasons why women should rather stay home is our children. I'm glad my daughter came at a time that I'm not working, as I was able to take care of her from infancy. I joined the wor force again when she's 2, because I had to support her. Good that you can stay with your baby, enjoy her while you can and treasure each milestone. They're too precious to miss. :) [steney]
My wife is both a housewife and career woman as I taught her how too make a little extra cash while she is at home. It's available right here on the net and free to join as well. Day care costs are way too much and she would have to make alot of money for it to be worth it but we prefer to be home and be with the kids. I believe it's very important. I know she loves it because she is home with the kids, gets to talk with friends and make decent extra monthly income. Anyone who wants I offer the same info for free. www.joniki.com/ref.html Have a great day!! [JonikiJava]
Wow, you are one supportive husband. Best of luck to you and your family. :) [steney]
I would rather be a housewife. I always have wanted to just be a housewife. I don't have a career and really don't want one. I am happy just being a hostess at a restaurant right now. I don't have any kids or anything, but if I did and had the choice I would definitely be a stay at home mom working from home. [pebbles_cubbie]
It's good to know what you really want. Working from home is really convenient and saves us the other extra expenses too from working outside. Thanks! :) [steney]
i think nowadays few and few women would like to be a plain housewife at home.we need something else to stuff and colour our lives.career is definintely one of them.it sounds a good idea to do both freelance work and take care of family.i'd love to be a freelance writer or take up a less time-consuming job after marriage:) [aciddrop]
There are lots of freelance work today, I'm doing them par time now but hopefully full time in the future. :) [steney]
I am a stay at home mommy of two boys. My husband and I talked about rather I would continue to work or stay at home once we had children and the decision was made that it would be more practical for me to stay home, especially with the costs of childcare and gas, I really wouldn't be making very much, but instead paying someone to raise my children. I am very fortunate and thankful that my husband does make enough so that I can stay home. I also am an Independent Sales Rep for two direct sale companies and that does help bring in a little extra money for us. As for the term "house-wife", that to me is an outdated term and I actually when doing our taxes this year they asked for my occupation and instead of using that I put in "Domestic Diva", I think it better suits today's stay at home moms because our job is not only rewarding but can at times be the best and worst job you can ever do and our job is never-ending, we don't get the chance to clock out! I do respect all the moms out there that are working because being away from your children is definitely the hardest thing to do! [BabyBoys0205]
Love the domestic diva term! :D We're really every inch of it, I must say. You have an ideal situation that most women would want. I hope when the time comes, I also get a very understanding and supportive husband to back me up on this. Here in my country, the cost of payment for a stay-in sitter doesn't really cost an arm, but I like to raise my daughter myself. Best of luck to you and your family! Thanks for sharing. :) [steney]
I always wanted to be a Career woman and the best part is that I am all supported from my hubby. I think this is the most impostant part of our life that we can be best at our careers balancing with our homes, if we are supported from our partners.....so I really thanks to GOD for gifting with his best blessing..... [musu112]
I am a career woman and a parent at the same time. I can't be a plain housewife because I have to support my daughter. Besides, what did I need to study college for? I feel that when you're a plain housewife, life stops at home. You can't view the world more outside your home. I feel that you will be left out with many new things. [betchai]
There are lots of plain housewives that are just as fulfilled as the career woman. I guess it all boils down to needs and priorities. In our case, we have to work to support our kids and pursue other dreams as well. [steney]
I love to become a career woman because i can have more independence and if something happens, even with my boyfriend ir my partner, i can know how to handle and survive myself. But being a housewife is a greatest because we don't need to worry anything , just do good mother and wife's role. I think if my partner asks me to become housewife, i would love to do that because i can do whatveer make my partner happy. [becuttieusa]
I love the term given by responder babyboy. It so describes what a woman that has chosen as her career is. She is a domestic diva. It is a career as any domestic diva will tell you. She employees skill that are also needed in many other career choices. Her job description has so many components that they are hard to describe. She is a nurse, a chef, an accountant, a banker, a teacher, and the list can go on foe a very long time. It must be very discouraging to be called a plain housewife especially a plain one. It almost implies ugly which is soo not true. I first chose to be a domestic diva when my children were little but when my youngest entered school I had to go out side the home to make a living as I became a single mom at the time. But I preferred a career of the domestic dive. [deebomb]
I say AMEN to that!!! [deebomb]
if i could have a home based job, that is better than working 8 hours a day away from home. atleast, i can earn and be with my children, too. but if i can't have an home based job, i wanna atleast have a career to atleast be of help to my husband, too financially. [maryannemax]
I would rather be a plain housewife. And start a business of my own to occupy my free time. Will also have the luxury to see my baby girl grow up :) [justinefontaine]
Thanks for sharing! :) [steney]