Monday, May 23, 2011

Modern Translation: The Awesome Wife's Guide (Rule #5)

(This is the 6th post of this series. To read the entire series, click on the label to the left that reads "Modern Translation Series.") 

* Gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper etc. and then run a dust cloth other the tables. 

Once again the Good Wife Guide is telling us something we already know- and a silly little rule at that. Can I get a DUH ?!?

This is sort of related, but mostly just something that has been on my mind lately. I hate being a working housewife! 

I wake up every morning at 6 AM. The very first thing I do is wash whatever dishes are in the sink. Then I prep the coffee pot and pack my husband's lunch. If there's time, I do a 5 minute pick-up around the living room and kitchen before putting in a good 20-30 minutes on the elliptical. If there is a load of laundry in the washing machine I throw that in the dryer and carry any clean laundry upstairs after my workout. After making sure my husband is awake and moving, I get online and check all our bank and credit card accounts (I've been the victim of fraud before), read emails, check my blogs, reply to reader questions and post my first post for the day. When the bathroom is free I start getting ready for work. 

That whole time I will be thinking about all the things I would accomplish that day IF I didn't have to go to work. Then I think about all the things that will still need accomplished that day regardless of the fact that I'll be at work for a good 8-9 hours. Needless to say, this doesn't exactly put me in the best mindset to be the most productive, pleasant and happy employee once I do get to work.  

I work. While I'm working I add to the mental to-do list and daydream about all the recipes I could cook or bake, things I could spray paint, improvements I could make around the house, crafts I could do, things I could sew, etc. I survive the day, at best. Then I come home and get cracking on the to-do list. Fold the laundry from the morning, make new dirty dishes to wash tomorrow, clean, maybe get some reading in (you know, for personal enjoyment). I go to bed, exhausted, and dream yet again about all the things I wish I could do with the time I don't have. 

And we are going to add a few kids on top of all this??

I love so many things about my life, I do. I love my husband. He is way more helpful than any other husband I know. There is just too much to do! 

Sometimes I get mad at the 1950's housewife who didn't feel like she was contributing enough to the world from inside the home. Sure, I contribute something to world while working my job but I feel that perhaps the biggest part I can play in the large scheme of things is to raise good citizens, cultivate a happy, healthy, lasting marriage, support my husband and oh, I don't know, not lose my mind! 
  
Housewives today have the exact same responsibilities as the 1950's housewife, and then some. We have to manage the home, children, a husband... all on 40 hours less a week. 

Dear 1950's Housewife, 

You and I have a love-hate relationship, I think. We need to work on this. I'll make a compromise with you- You show me where I can have 30 minutes of my day to myself (that isn't spent chasing a piece of cheese pizza on a string at the end of a treadmill) and I'll run a dust cloth over the kitchen table. Deal?

Have a pleasant day, 

Mrs. 2010's Housewife 


3 comments:

  1. LMAO
    I do make an attempt to get the boys to pick up the bulk of their toys before Brian gets home. Mostly so that there is less to do after dinner.
    They are only nearly 2 and 3 so no homework yet and they don't play at our table (besides by the time Brian gets home the tables set for dinner so they couldn't be playing there).
    The boys table gets a wipe down once they are in bed and I can clean up the rest of the house before going to bed.
    If you can at all manage it I thoroughly recommend doing those dishes and picking up those stray items before you go to bed.
    It's so much nicer to wake up to a tidy house, and it'll give you more time in the mornings too!

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  2. Yea, I know I shouldn't leave anything for the morning but part of the reason I do is because I tried once hopping on the elliptical right after waking up and... well... it didn't end well. I use the time I'm washing up dishes to completely wake up so I'm a little more capable of working heavy machinery! :)

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  3. What a great post! When I stopped working outside the home 15 years ago I really struggled with not contributing financially to our family. Part of that was the remarks of so many people who thought I was giving up so much! I began to feel like I was giving up so many things instead of gaining so many things. It took a while to get over that.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment. I really appreciate it.

    I love your "you can call me Martha" series. I'm sure I'll be visiting often.

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