
What’s a job? [reblogged]
I first posted this as a guest post at HuesofMaple / WordAllure one year ago and I think this deserves a renewed attention now that I’m once again a stay at home mom.
In a modern country like Norway, people often expect the men and women to have equal (not balance) responsibility.
Whenever I tell that I’m a full-time housewife, what follows is, “So you don’t have a job?”
What?

Did I not just say what my job was?
What makes housewives (or househusbands) less of a job than 9 to 5 office work? In fact, being a full-time stay at home parents is a 24h duty.
I read an article once of a man speaking to his marriage counselor.

The counselor asked: “So you think it’s unfair because you mean that you’re the only one with a job?”
The man: “I am the only one with a job.”
The counselor: “What does your wife do when you wake up in the morning?”
The man: “She makes breakfast, prepare lunchbox for me and the kids and drive them to school. Because she has no job.”
The counselor: “After driving them to school she goes home and relax?”
The man: “No, she usually gets the groceries, because she has no job“
The counselor: “Then she relaxes after that?”
The man: “She cleans the house and does the chores because she has no job.”
The counselor: “And what does she do in the afternoon?”
The man: “She fetches the kids and prepares our dinner because she has no job“
The counselor: “At night. Does she go to bed with all of you?”
The man: “No, she usually stays up and do the dishes, and do some advance preparation for the next day, because she has no job“
At this point, I stop reading the damn article because I might punch my computer out of anger. In the story, it was a woman, but I’m sure it happens to men too.
They criticized my uncle as a bum for being a househusband. I always defended him (including from my mother) because god, the man does all the work in the house and raise his three kids with a little help from his wife!
Salute to all stay-at-home mom and dads out there.
Thank you for reading!



14 Comments
stevescountry
So very true Jessica, I agree with you totally on this!

Jessica E. Larsen
Thanks Steve. I rarely rant but there are things I just have to say before I go crazy haha
stevescountry
Rants can be good sometimes though!

Jessica E. Larsen
stevescountry
My pleasure!
Jim Borden
three cheers for stay at home moms! I hope all of you are well!
Jessica E. Larsen
Thanks Jim I’m sure no one else can sympathise better than a parent like you
Jim Borden
We do have an insiders perspective!
popsiclesociety
It is indeed a 24h job!



Salute to all stay-at-home mom and dads out there
Stay safe and stay healthy!
Jessica E. Larsen
Thanks Ribby
Stay safe too 
Simon
That was well said, the gender discrimination was eliminated
I appreciate that view of yours. I am with you, I would’ve done the same, punch their face. Great Post Jessica 

Jessica E. Larsen
Dracul Van Helsing
Salute to you, Jessica.
Jessica E. Larsen
Aw, thank you so much Chris!