housewife

Traditionally this role has been filled predominantly by women. It is still the case today that in many societies and groups, men and women alike view homemaking as the natural and most fulfilling role for women. In recent years there has even been some political and societal backlash against "feminist" attacks on traditional roles for women; yet many who leave the workplace to become homemakers continue to respect other women's decision to pursue a career. This backlash may be attributed, at least in part, to both the increasing prominence of "professional" homemakers such as Martha Stewart and Rachel Ray, and a rise in religious conservatism which embraces traditional roles as being conducive to family stability and personal happiness. Homemaking is not always a lifetime commitment: many homemakers, for economic or personal reasons, return to the workplace.

Feminist critique

Many feminists, beginning with Betty Friedan, have criticised the marginalisation of women as 'homemakers'. Feminists generally suggest that 'homemaking' should be an appropriate role for a parent of either sex, denying, as they do, that gender roles have any basis other than social conditioning. Also, they maintain that women can become socially isolated by being tied to their home. While some feminists denigrate stay-at-home moms, others argue that feminism respects all choices people make. They would argue that the goal of feminism was not to close off any options for women, but to create opportunities for women to pursue careers in traditionally male occupations.

Some feminists also point out that the monetary contribution of homemakers' work to society is ignored in standard formulations of economic output, such as GDP or employment figures. Homemakers work many unrecorded hours a week, while depending on their partner's employment to provide health insurance and household income.

Multicultural norms

In imperial China (excluding periods of the Tang dynasty when women had high status in society), women were bound to homemaking by the doctrines of Confucianism. When the husband was alive and able to work, the wife was usually forbidden to take a job outside the house. As Confucianism spread across East Asia, this social norm was also observed in Korea and Japan. After the founding of the Republic of China in the early 20th century, these norms were gradually loosened and many women went out to make a living. During the rule of the People's Republic of China, all women were 'freed' from traditional family roles. During the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, many women were required to do work for which they were not physically suited. This policy was later abolished. Still, in modern China, it is not common for women (particularly those in urban area) to be housewives. Even in wealthy families, most women believe that a housewife is stripped of financial resources and is dependent on her husband. In most modern Chinese homes, women work simply because one person's income is insufficient to support the family, a decision made easier by the fact that it is common for Chinese grandparents to take care of their grandchildren before they are old enough to go to school. Nonetheless, the number of Chinese housewives has been steadily growing in recent years, though househusbands are almost unanimously frowned upon.

Economics

Homemakers are usually financially dependent on members of the household who are employed; however, people working full-time (particularly under "at-will employment" arrangements) are also dependent on the unpaid work provided by the homemaker, all of which would cost money in his/her absence (child care, cooking, housecleaning, teaching, transporting).

Formal education

While largely eliminated from public schools in Western countries, there used to be a large range of courses intended for young women to learn the skills of running the home as an economic unit. In high school, they may for instance have offered courses in cooking, nutrition, home economics, family and consumer science or food and cooking hygiene. Many modern women would be more likely to explore resources on the topic of child development and managing children's behavior.

Male role in homemaking

Househusbands or Stay at home dads are seen in increasing numbers in Western culture, since the late 20th century. In East Asian nations such as Japan and South Korea this practice is less common, and the traditional view of married women as housewives is still dominant.

There are several reasons why there has been an increase in househusbands over the past few years.

1. Women are progressing into higher paying jobs. There are now financial ramifications in deciding which parent is to become the stay-at-home parent. In many cases, the woman is now the higher-paid parent, so it makes more economic sense for her to continue to work while the male stays home.
2. The idea of "woman's work" is slowly fading in Western countries. More men are playing an active role in housework and child-rearing, so it has made things easier for a man to play a nurturing role^{citation needed]}.
3. Men, like women, choose this role because they enjoy being an active part of their children's lives and do not want to be away from the family as much as their fathers may have been. Families vary widely in terms of how household chores are divided. Depending on the country or region in which a stay-at-home dad lives, he might find more or less social support for his decision. In some regions where traditional roles prevail, a stay-at-home dad might be shunned by the stay-at-home mom peer group.

In order to find support for their choice, men have created and joined many support networks.

In some cases, the role of the househusband has evolved to something different from that of the housewife. In the case of some househusbands, once the wife comes home from work, she often assumes a nurturing and caregiving role with the children. Having a spouse that is actively parenting in addition to the homemaker makes that role easier for some.

However, despite the gains of the acceptance of the househusband, there are still many men who are trying to find acceptance in this role.

One 2002 study suggested stay-at-home dads may face a higher risk of heart disease. [1] A 2005 study said that they tend to live 4-5 years longer than other men, but some of this may actually be so because they tend to live in rural areas.

Modern Mothers

Some modern women are embracing the role of full-time parent. Most of these women have left the paid workforce so that they can raise their children, particularly through their early years before entering kindergarten. There is considerable variability within the "stay-at-home" mom population with regard to their intent to return to the paid workforce. Some work from their home, some do part-time work, some intend to return to part or full time work when their children are in school, and others may never return to the paid workplace. Similarly, there is considerable variation in the "stay-at-home" mom's attitude towards domestic work not related to caring for children.

Some may embrace a traditional role of "housewife," where the woman cooks and cleans in addition to caring for children. But many modern homemakers see their primary role as that of child-care providers -- supporting their children's physical, intellectual, and emotional development. These homemakers can be found in cooperative preschools and volunteering in numerous community organizations. Other aspects of home care (shopping, cooking, cleaning, yard work, home repairs, money managing) is shared equally with their husbands or partners.

Reference

In addition to its meaning as "homemaker", the term housewife is still used in the UK (and other commonwealth countries such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, etc.) advertising market. All homes are deemed to contain a "housewife" who is the person who is mainly responsible for the purchasing decisions of everyday goods. Although around 20% of 'housewives' (May 06, BARB) are male, the term housewife is still used in TV advertising although the term "main shopper" is used in other forms of advertising.

See also

• Good wife's guide

External links

• FlyLady
• Martha Stewart
• SimpleHousekeeping
• The New Homemaker
• Practical Homemaking
• Mrs. Happy Housewife
• Slowlane.com Stay At Home Dads"
• Alittlebreak.com homemaking ideas for working moms"
• The Lazy Housewife - a humour site for those who hate to clean
• The Retro Housewife - Putting pride back into the housewife.