My mom had this plaque on the living room wall when I was a kid. It read -
I'm just a little housewife
With dishes three times a day
With laundry and cleaning and cooking
And toys to put away
Now it's not that I mind the housework
Or the screaming kids at play
It's that husband that burns me
When he says with a smile
Did you do anything today?
I'd like to say that is the story of my life. But that wouldn't be true. I go back and forth between being a domestic goddess and a die-hard feminist. I just have to walk into the house to know which avatar has taken hold of me.
The DG version will have the house vacuumed, dishes done and dinner prepared well ahead of time. She will also be humming a tune as she scrubs the tub and she might even bake a batch of cookies for the kids.
It's a whole different story when the feminist takes over. You will have to hop over the shoes strewn in the foyer to get to the living room, from where you can see the mountain of dishes piled up in the sink. Yours truly will be on the couch wearing a grungy T-shirt and stained PJs. As the kids rummage the kitchen for something to eat, la femme reluctantly uproots herself from the couch and grudgingly makes dinner. Cupboards will be slammed, pots and pans banged around, while she mutters something about being a slave! The unsuspecting husband walks in. "Hello", he pipes. Only to be met with an icy stare. One word and she'll start her tirade against all men and the thankless job of being a housewife.
Out here in the U.S., nobody uses the term housewife. It's homemaker or stay-at-home mom, which are equally unglamorous, unless you are in a reality show - The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills! These glam dolls just have to dress up, have lunch dates and dinner parties, launch perfumes, vodkas or clothing lines (another excuse for a party!). They also meet with their dermatologists and plastic surgeons regularly. They are a poor representation of the common housewife and a sorry lot.
While there is some part of me that envies them - the part that doesn't like house work I'm guessing - I wouldn't last a day in their silicone/botox world. Also being a person who hates the limelight I'd rather live a life of obscurity than have a camera crew taping my every move! So all I can do is pretend I'm a diva and expect the imaginary help to do the chores. When I'm done with being a diva or the house starts to stink, whichever comes first, I suck it up and go back to being domestic goddess.
An unpaid job is a thankless job. There is no reward for cleaning up your house except that you have a clean house. There is no reward for cooking fresh meals for your family, except that you all enjoy vibrant health. There is no glory in showing up day after day at the bus stop to pick up your kids after school. No glory in sweating it out in a hot soccer field as your child plays. No bonuses to celebrate. No promotions to work for. Just the quiet satisfaction of watching your children grow up. Just having enough time to smell the flowers. Just the wisdom to know that life is magical and is unfolding right before your eyes.
Oh who am I kidding? I have often wished fairy god mother would show up, wave her wand and turn me into a princess and turn the mice and cockroaches in my house into maids, cooks and ladies-in-waiting! Until then I will never cease to sing my glories, be a domestic goddess and fight for my rights!
P.S. Domestic goddess just read this post and she insists there are NO mice or cockroaches in the house. Did I mention she was appalled?
The article is written by: Damayanti