We’re getting there. We’re modern, we work, we vote, we make money, we’re independent. And we’re proud.
But we’re still women.
Take this urban woman’s story for example: She’s an up-and-coming fashion designer with two kids, a husband, a dog, a house and two cars. She often travels for work and she spends hours in her studio designing and creating her product.
What’s the big deal, you ask? Men have been working from dawn to dusk, travelling and caring for their families for years now.
Here’s the difference: She doesn’t have a wife. In cases where marriages are even somewhat traditional, the husband goes off to work in the morning, coming home in time for dinner, and focuses most of his day on his work. Though he may pick the children up from daycare, the schedules of their daily routines, the housekeeping, grocery shopping, and dog duties are usually left in the hands of his wife.
But what if you’re the wife? Who’s your back-up/executive assistant? Besides working all hours in a competitive field like fashion, this woman I mentioned also has to get her children to school every morning, with healthy lunches packed fresh daily. She has to pick the little one up earlier than the older one, and make sure both have some activity to do after school. She has to stock her fridge full of nutritious food, and make sure her children eat a healthy dinner.
This woman could be you, or me, or any one of the women you know today. The old image of the suburban housewife with nothing to do but admire her new appliances was never true, and it’s certainly less believable nowadays. Even so-called women of leisure keep themselves busier than that, often involved in good causes, charities, fundraising and the arts.
Women today work just as hard as men at their day jobs but are still expected to be the ones to keep the household running. And even though so many of today’s partners are helpful and involved — often bathing the kids before bed, picking up the dry cleaning, even cooking — the onus of organization often still falls on women.
Many women willingly take on the extra domestic tasks and responsibilities because in many cases they like to be in charge of their domain. But even though their busy-ness may be self-imposed, when they need a break — they really need a break!
The key, of course, is communication. If you feel you’re burning the candle from both ends, talk to your partner and get him more involved. Suggest that besides his role in the daily routine, some extra help every once in a while would be much appreciated.
A happy and relaxed mom leads to a happier and more relaxed home environment. And everyone can benefit from that.
