Ten Lessons for the Spouse of Every SAHM/Housewife

Lately it is more widely acknowledged that being a SAHM/housewife is one of the toughest jobs out there--with the least amount of pay. Even so, I still don't think the amount of work that a stay-at-home mom such as myself does on a daily basis is truly understood. In the grand scheme of things, our hard work is appreciated, and we are grateful for that. Unfortunately, the small tasks that often go unnoticed consume as much time and energy as the larger chores. While we don't need to hear "thank you" for every tiny thing we do, these little jobs need to be recognized for one to have a clear picture of just how much work we must do. We could be saved so much time and energy if our husbands, and older children, would learn a few simple lessons.

1. Your trash goes in the trash bin. It does not belong in the sink, on the counter, in the couch cushion, or on the floor next to the wastebasket. If all trash were placed in the proper receptacle, the only trash we would have to throw away would be our own. Then we could take out the trash without having to gather it.

2. Likewise, your clothes go in the hamper. They do not need to be wrapped up in the blankets in the bed, thrown on the bathroom floor, or placed at the bottom of the staircase. If everyone placed their clothes in the proper container, we wouldn't have to go around gathering dirty clothes before doing the laundry. Your clean clothes, on the contrary, go on hangers in the closet--not in a pile in the corner.

3. While they are making toilet paper rolls much bigger these days, they do not last forever. When there are only a few squares left on the roll, it is time to change it. You men may not need to wipe after every potty break, but we women do. Whatever you used the toilet paper for, if you used the last of it, change it. This way we will not have to spend several minutes a day checking and replacing the rolls throughout the house, nor will we find ourselves on the pot without a wipe. It is a courtesy that would spare us a lot of annoyance.