i usually write about myself but...

well i can't help it really. but what i'd really like to talk about today is the pressure that most women today feel to work outside of the home. since when is it a crime to successfully and efficiently manage your home and money? that's the homemaker's real job anyway. now i'm not at home, obviously (i'm actually writing this from work, unfortunately), but in the very near future (as soon as i can figure out how to make it work financially without selling my car) i would like to make that transition. i work a few part-time jobs outside the home, but would not take full-time work because it would not allow me to take care of my home (or my high-maintenance hubby) as i like to. so many women today complain that they are looked down upon for making the decision to stay at home, especially if they don't have any children. now i'm not tackling this issue from a religious perspective (if that's what you want, just look around the interwebs...you'll find plenty of blogs that do), but having one partner stay home simply makes good sense. one person can be responsible for budgeting, paying all the bills, keeping the house (and its contents) clean and in good repair, and doing all of the other things that many people nowadays pay someone to come in an do for them (like an accountant, a maid, a repairman, etc.). Plus, the individual saves on gas and transportation costs by staying at home the majority of the time, not to mention the savings of having food cooked at home. now again, this is just for a couple, without taking into account any children that they might have that might otherwise go to a pricey daycare facility. this also doesn't take into account the perks of a planned menu with home-cooked food, and the change in atmosphere when one partner is at home to make the home a comfy, happy environment. this should not be underestimated, as most of the time when someone comes home from work, that person is not in a particularly good mood (i don't even want to tell you what I'm like when I come home from work most afternoons). having someone who has been home and is fresh and cheery can make all the difference. also, in the old days, people used to just pop by during the day. if no one is home, no one can pop by, and we miss all of these lovely visits! if there's no one home during the day, what happens in an emergency? when do other necessary things like grocery shopping, car repairs, banking, etc. get done? and who does them? splitting housework right down the middle sounds like a lovely idea, and might work in an ideal world, but we do not live in an ideal world. one person ends up doing more than their "fair share," and may become frustrated with their partner (who might not even notice that he or she is "slacking" in that department), or may be downright exhausted after working and doing housework. even though i don't generally consider feminism to be a dirty word, i really think that they gave women the short end of the stick by telling us we could have everything if we just tried for equality in everything. it simply is not possible, and we kill ourselves trying to obtain it.
i'm no economist, and no homemaker either, but it just seems to make sense to have someone at home if its at all possible. others are more than welcome to disagree, but they can go off and work all day and then clean the house and make dinner and whatever else they want. i'm opting out.