Housewife vs. Working Woman: an Evaluation Essay

Everywhere you go, you are bound to run into a woman who considers herself a stay-at-home wife or mother. To meet such a woman here and there is not considered strange, but as the idea of the “modern housewife” begins to trend more and more – in Britain, especially – it is starting to raise a few eyebrows, and more than a few questions and concerns. While the modern-day housewife herself would disagree, the working woman is becoming very opinionated on the subject, and have not been shy to express their disapproval of the idea. It is an extremely difficult territory to step into unbiased, and I still find myself on the fence about passing judgment between what is said to be the 'more fulfilling' lifestyle of the housewife and the 'more rewarding' lifestyle of the working woman. On one hand, it is hard to disagree with a woman who wants her child to grow raised by their own parent instead of bouncing between babysitters and who finds fairness in tending to the home while the man of the house takes care of the finances, but it is equally difficult to argue with the years and years of struggles for women trying to be equal to men in the working world, and what a deafening blow the choice to be a housewife is to all the progress that has been made in their strides. Each option has presented it's own shares of positive and negative aspects, and I think you'll be surprised to find that your feelings – whether for or against being the modern-day housewife – might not be as solid as you think.
A major argument for the housewife is that it is unrealistic to think that you can balance work and a home life and still have a happy marriage and a strong family. “If your mind is fully occupied with other things and you don't put the effort into marriage, then it can go awry.” Said Kirsty Robeson, who gave up her job to raise three daughters. Is it really so unreasonable to agree? In a survey of over 2,000 women commissioned by Vitabotics Wellwoman, a vitamin supplement for women,