haus·frau
noun \ˈhau̇s-ˌfrau̇\Definition of HAUSFRAU
Origin of HAUSFRAU
German, from Haus house + Frau woman, wife
First Known Use: 1798
That's what my brother lovingly refers to me as. I know that he really doesn't mean it, or does he? It certainly sounds like something that harkens back to the 1950's or 1960's. Housewife conjures up all kinds of negative thoughts from men. Men think that housewives have it made... Housewives sit on their asses and do nothing but watch bad TV and eat bon bons, or they spend amazing amounts of money on shopping, or eating fine lunches with their girlie friends.
I recall hearing guys saying things like, "I don't know what the old lady does all day long... how hard is it to watch a couple kids, keep the house clean and cook me some dinner?" Well, having been a kept woman, I can tell you me this one important thing. She ain't sittin' on her ass!!! That's for sure!! She's busting her tail making sure your children are being looked after quite nicely, and she's making your sorry ass a meal, even if it comes out of the freezer, or it's been ordered by dialing seven digits. Consider yourself lucky!
Being a parent is tough enough, but being a stay-at-home parent is tougher than any full time job I ever had. It's even worse when you keep an important job, and do the everyday child rearing. I know because I was a Program/Project Manager for a fine company, and I was the guy who made certain that the boys were up, fed, off to child care, performed my regular job until 5 PM, then picked the boys up from child care, got them fed, bathed, storied and off to bed by 7.30PM. Keep in mind, laundry and home cleaning chores were included in these tasks. Lets not even go into detail of the typical male house-chores that are required like the lawn, painting, fixing, etc. Let me say one thing, it wasn't a 9 to 5 job. I had one of those already. It was actually 8 to 5, but lets not split hairs. Don't get me wrong, my wife was, and is the biggest help/supporter for to me, and I'm damn lucky to have her.
Hausfrau? I think not! Child Project/Program Manager? Oh, hell yes.
These days, I no longer have a "real" job. I am a real stay-at-home Dad who performs all the aforementioned tasks, and maintains a house, 3 acre property, makes sure I'm around when there are snow days (and there's plenty of them),make breakfast, clean house, cook dinner, do homework, go to T-Ball practice, swimming, Skiing, do (excuse me, I hate the phrase) play-dates, volunteer at the school, and my latest trick, learning how to do a television show for Public Access Television.
Yep, I'm a real Hausfrau!
