What does it mean to be a Home-maker

Written January 17, 2011

The Penny Pincher posted a thing about how wonderful homemaking is and it was all very well... but every one of the bullet points she listed revolved around children, even though she SAID that anyone could be a homemaker and it didn't have anything to do with having kids... Things like that make you feel like you should be guilty for not having the 'M' part of SAHM. So what does it REALLY mean? She asked for comment, so this is what I wrote her about my day:

• Homemaking is having a hot meal ready when the family gets home... and then eating the leftovers for lunch for the rest of the week because you're the only one home during the day.
• It's being there to say 'welcome home, I love you, how was your day?' with a smile on your face when your partner gets home... and waiting at least five minutes to tell them that the dishwasher exploded at midday.
• It's trying to keep at least one day ahead of the laundry pile, and hoping to avoid 8am cries of 'where are my socks?!' because nobody ever thinks to tell you that they're putting on the last pair!
• It's baking for church families or neighbours, because it's just as easy to bake for two households as one, and you know it will make the recipients feel cared for to get them.
• It's volunteering to help in the school, the library, the church, the animal shelter, or wherever else you are needed, because you have the time to give...
• It's knowing that when you are flat on your back in bed, nothing is getting done so you'd better hurry up and get better and get back to it!
• It's taking a meal to an elderly neighbour, and stopping to say 'hi, how are you today?' so neither of you will feel so lonely.
• It's being there to pitch in when there's an emergency in the church and help is needed immediately.
• It's having the time to shop for bargains and not buying anything until you've priced it in at least three places to make sure you got the best buy you could.
• It's being the one to be woken for the 6am feed when you don't have any children (but the cats insist that if it's Dawn it's time for breakfast, and if they can see the bottom of their food dish it's a national disaster that you need to fix RIGHT NOW!)
• It's having the time for an afternoon snuggle with the same cats, and thanking God for sending them to you to keep you company as they purr sweetly in your lap.
• It's being the Keeper of the Address Book, and being the one to tell your partner that it's time to let their siblings know you're all still alive because you haven't talked to them in a month.
• It's knowing when the milk is down to the last inch in the carton, you have two eggs left, and no ground beef, and being able to plan your meals accordingly (or else to replace them if you really have to.)
• But most of all, it's just doing what has to be done... trying not to get aggravated by all the little details of life... and managing your time so that you have time for yourself as well as for all the needs everyone else so blythly thrusts upon you because you 'don't have to go to work'. I wouldn't trade it for a million dollars.