11/20/2025
A young mother was once posed the classic question: "So, what exactly fills your days?" If you are a stay-at-home mom or manage a household, you have likely encountered similar remarks: "Why isn't the house immaculate?" or "You're home all day—how demanding can it truly be?" Such inquiries often sting deeply. However, one particular mother responded with such profound honesty and clarity that her words became a powerful affirmation for women everywhere.
She recounted it as a straightforward exchange between a husband (H) and a counselor (C):
C: Mr. Lane, what is your occupation?
H: I am an accountant.
C: And your spouse?
H: She is unemployed; she remains at home.
C: Who prepares your children each morning?
H: My wife. She rises early, prepares breakfast, packs their school bags, styles their hair, and ensures their teeth are brushed. She also attends to the baby—feeding, changing, and soothing him. Yet, as you know… she "doesn't work."
C: Who takes the children to school?
H: My wife.
C: What are her activities afterward?
H: Everything. She manages financial obligations, procures groceries, runs various errands, tidies rooms, launders clothes, folds laundry, entertains the baby, cooks lunch, comforts crying children, changes more diapers, and strives to maintain the household. Still, she "doesn't work."
C: And upon your return home?
H: I'm exhausted, so I relax for a while.
C: And your wife?
H: She prepares dinner, feeds the children, washes dishes, sweeps the floors, supervises homework, oversees baths, locates misplaced pajamas, offers bedtime snuggles, reads stories, and soothes the baby when he awakens at 2 a.m. But she doesn't require rest—she doesn't "go to work."
This depicts the everyday reality for countless women—
Their days commence before dawn
and conclude long after the world has settled into sleep.
They receive no vacation time.
No sick days.
No monetary compensation.
Nevertheless, their efforts are fundamental to keeping families thriving.
Therefore, when a homemaker is asked:
"Do you work?"
Her appropriate response should be:
"I am constantly working. I am a mother, a partner, a chef, a caregiver, a chauffeur, an educator, a housekeeper, a source of comfort, a problem-solver, and the person who ensures everyone keeps moving forward. I don't punch a time clock to begin my shift—but I am never truly off duty."
To every woman who dedicates herself to her family: You are the vital core of your home. People may fail to recognize your contributions, but life simply cannot function in your absence. You don't merely enrich the experience—you are the essential bond that holds everything together.
