Breaking news - Moms are tired
Categories: Just for moms, Just for dads, Chores
Telegraph has an interesting article about the length of a mom's work day. The average mom, according to a recent poll, has a "work day" of 15 hours, 5.5 of it working at their job and the rest spent grocery shopping, cooking, doing household chores, shuttling kids to school and activities, and caring for their children. Seventy five percent of women reported wishing they had more time to themselves. Don't we all.The idea here, of course, is that working moms are doing far more than their share and are in desperate need of a break. Honestly, this is something I worry about when I think about going back to work full-time. As a SAHM, I've taken on the bulk of the household responsibilities. Will we be able to balance daily tasks in a healthy way when the time comes for me to go back to the 40-hour work week? I hope so, but I think it will take time.
I can't speak for working moms, but as a SAHM/WAHM, my day is longer than my husband's, for sure. When he's kicking back to watch a little TV, I'm just pulling out my laptop to do a little more work. But that doesn't mean that I win the "Who's doing more?" argument. Between his 9-5 gig and parenting and household responsibilities, he's easily putting in a 12 to 13-hour day. Mine's more like 15 hours, but I also have the freedom to schedule my own day. Today, for example, that included a 15-minute cat nap because my three-year-old kept us up all night, while he just had to power through his fatigue. In our house, I'd call it a wash.
Of course, there are less evolved spouses out there, the kind who think their responsibilities end with their workday. Those spouses might do well by reading up on Telegraph's survey, a little nudge that a helping hand goes a long way in any parenting partnership.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
isisaquaria 8-29-2008 @ 2:24PM
For the most part I have a 50/50--except when he is out of town. But it balances when he returns or home for long stretches---I actually do less physical (bills, schedules etc) vs my hero (lawn and trash, repairs)
Either way, it works and has for yrs so I ain't fixin' what ain't broke.
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Kenzi 9-01-2008 @ 3:27PM
Well as a single working mommy with an 11-month old, my day is usually around 18-20 hours long. Up at 6am, breakfast, getting both of us ready, to the sitter, at the office from 8am-4pm, home by 4:45pm dinner, clean up, playtime, bathes, stories, bedtime (8pm) then cleaning I get to bed around midnight on a good day. It's exhausting and it's definately not easy. But I have found since I have gotten use to my schedule even if I could be in bed by 10pm I won't go to sleep!
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ROBIN622 9-11-2008 @ 9:56AM
I believe I'm fortunate in that I can from a different generation of women; the first to experience the Womens' Lib Movement. I was all with it, and to a large degree, still am and always will be. Don't get equal pay confused with equal lifestyles.
Work is work.. it's not a kidney, nor a heart, and definitely nothing that should come before yourself, your health and family. The terms "playdates and time out corner" are recent euphemisms for even the manners in which children play and are repremanded shall we consult or PDA's (Personal Digital Assistants!) to check if our kids are available for relaxation?! Oh... just think about it Women/mothers!
Too many younger women, in an effort to keep up with the men & the world they've created, gain momentum in the workplace, salaries, etc., have allowed jobs/careers whatever you wish to call them, to take presidence over everything that truly matters, to the tune of: "I'M TOTALLY EXHAUSTED NOT TO MENTION, CRANKY ALL THE TIME!" tune.
While I applaude ambition, it, like everything else in life, has it's place. You simply have to know where to place it.
Thank you & Good Day.
R622
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