By Kumari Shalini:
Conflicts between some groups will never be resolved. There would always be heated arguments every time you even think of addressing these issues. One such conflict is that between the working woman and the housewife: who is more hard working? And who is more efficient in handling responsibilities?
Both categories defend themselves by giving their own logic, and I’ve often heard “working women are more hard working, and men would never understand or appreciate their dedication. Let alone men; not even housewives would understand or be able to match the effort they put in for their family.” I am surprised and even shocked that this has turned into a ladies vs. ladies battle. But that’s the rude reality of our society.
These terms to me are just two English words but for many these become defining terminologies. A lady is either working or a housewife. Oh wait, does that mean a housewife is ‘not working’ because she doesn’t go to the office, doesn’t get paid, has no fixed work timing and no boss to report to? Does that mean homemakers have all their time free to do as they please? Does that mean that she isn’t working at all, and her efforts add up to nothing? But the reality is very different.
Mrs X goes to office and Mrs Y doesn’t. Then what does Mrs Y do the entire day? Oh well, she stays at home, takes care of the house, cooks for everyone, does the household chores (which by the way are uncountable) and looks after her children and the husband when he is back. Okay, so let me clarify few things here, this is not every homemaker’s daily routine, but it is a general one. Having said that, I don’t mean to say that a working woman doesn’t share the load of household chores, in fact when she does it’s something phenomenal and extraordinary.
I come from a family where I have experienced complete exposure to both. My mother is a working woman, working at home as well as in the office. My sister is also a working. The only difference is unlike my mother, my sister doesn’t get paid for what she does: managing her home, handling two kids, taking decisions for her family and her husband. So I have known, seen and experienced both, and I would never be able to make a decision as to who is more hard working and who is putting more efforts. It’s not because both are equally important to me but because they both make an equal contribution to the family in their own ways. I agree that a working woman does handle both fronts, the home and the world outside (like my mother and many others), and more often than not homemakers do not always handle such load. But does that make their work any easier? No. I also work and sometimes it becomes too difficult for me to cook (even just for myself) after returning from office. I’m sure many of us must feel the same way. But those who are home managers know that it is a full-time job with deadlines emerging constantly.
I accept here that I’m going with a neutral answer, both work with equal dedication and hard work, both try and manage the toughest of the work load without expecting much in return (though this hold true particularly for the home-maker). This article is a tribute to every lady in the world, no matter whether you go out for a livelihood, or you stay at home to manage everything. You are a star, and no one can replace your efforts. You are the ultimate pillar of support for your family and its success. Yes, I’ll vote for both. There’s equal work load shared by them in their own ways. Yes, I’ll be out of answer when asked who’s better – a housewife or a working woman. This discussion can never end, so it remains open for you too. What’s your take?