When it comes to career and women, there’s always that hot, under-the-radar whispers about the ultimate choice in family life. Unlike past decades, women now have the freedom to mould their profession just as they dreamt it as a child. But there are times when a woman has to make a decision based on what’s needed to be done. Be it a child or being close to your husband in a foreign land, a housewife’s duties comes with many perks and drawbacks.
Those whose moms are housewives would know how cool it was growing up around games and food. Especially mom’s awesome cupcake recipe secret or even the simplest curries and dishes did a great impression. Alright, let’s get back to the point. Here are the pros and cons of being a housewife.
Cons
Let’s begin with the downsides. It’s always good to have the light at the end.
The income suspension
This would be greatly felt if you’re a working woman who has a monthly wage to sustain yourself. Even if your husband did have enough money to support your basics, it’s never a pleasant scenario asking him for the same for your entertainment or shopping (very much if you’ve gotten used to being independent). In such situation there are many options out there for women to earn while working from home.
Less social awareness
Although we see rich housewives conquering their neighbourhoods and statuses by mingling with influential personalities, in the real world the case is not this. Being social is a costly affair. Unless you have close buddies who are out there in the working world, the chances of you being aware of the social hype is quite low. This would certainly turn you into a frog-in-the-well, over time.
Role of the house-worker
No one ever wishes to be a house worker, but automatically being a housewife puts you there. True, you get to bake. Moms are well known for their awesome cupcakes. The recipes are often a mystery. But the cleaning and arranging might be an off-put if you’re not used to doing house chores. Of course, you MUST get some hubby-assistance, but as a housewife, you’d have to consider it your primary duty.
Little Recognition
Those awful family gatherings will turn even more excruciating where the all-star in-laws or cousins gather to boast about their excelling careers and achievements. Although a housewife does as much work as a career woman (it may be a different kind of stress), the hard work is always gone unappreciated. If you’re used to being in the limelight, here comes the bad news. There will be little to no recognition of your duty as a housewife.
Exhaustion with the kids: As a stay-at-home mom
Running around kids throughout the day can be daunting and overwhelming. Sometimes more than exercising your brain, you’d be physically up and running, which would wear you out quite quickly. Doing day-care all by yourself, you may not have quality pampering time for yourself. At times like these, make sure you get your husband’s support too.
Pros
That’s enough drawbacks for a write up. Here comes the sunny side.
Freedom with your Schedules
Unlike running errands under tight deadlines at a workplace, being a housewife brings its perks in freedom. You can work according to your own schedules whilst focusing on your health and wellbeing at the same time. A woman alone in a house makes her the boss. This would somewhat change if you’re a mother, but the bottom line is, freedom is all yours.
Try out Recipes
It’s a deep-down fantasy of ours to have a clear kitchen counter and all the time we need to whip up exquisite dishes. As a housewife, you will have time to practice and bake your heart away. Practice would’ve probably been the secret of our moms’ awesome cupcake recipes. Again, if you’re a mother, the story won’t relate completely. However, if you have the time, make sure to take down recipes or do YouTube tutorials (they could earn you a few dollars).
Being attentive to your children: For to-be moms
We are not implying that working women are any less attentive, but those who had moms who were housewives shared experiences of warmer bonds than of those whose moms were full-time employees. As a stay-at-home mom, you get to watch your kids grow and cherish every moment of it. Plus, surrounding yourself with your children is a great way to de-stress yourself. They’d be a bit annoying, but you’ll be hand-full.
Managing finances without earning
How wonderful would that be? To not earn, yet take care of household finances. A housewife would describe its raw reality, but we listed it down as a pro. After all, you get the upper hand. If you’re bad at allocating budgets and counting expenses, this can be a bit challenging, but the decision of ‘which requires money?’ rests in your hands.
Low anxiety
As working women, we tend to get anxious about little scenarios such as attending a client meeting for the first time or even waiting for a taxi in the morning. This is almost regular to all of us. A housewife, on the other hand, would experience less anxiety compared to a working woman. Once you get used to a daily routine, there’s rarely a routine disruption that would cause stress. So if you keep your mind out of negative thoughts, your mental health – as a housewife – would be alright.
Conclusion
It all boils down to this: it doesn’t matter what path you choose, there’s always advantages and disadvantages. This topic, in particular, is quite sensitive to many women. As you stumbled upon here, it could be that you’re in two minds, or you’ve made a decision, and you wonder if it’s the right one. Don’t let society and stigma persuade you to do the ‘popular’ thing, but choose the right path for yourself and your family. Most importantly, do what makes you happy.