Profession of homemaking


Like any profession, the profession of homemaking requires a certain set of skills. Some ladies come into their marriage with very strong skills in this area, others are sadly lacking. Some had their apprenticeship beside their mothers - with many years of training, others have had to learn on the run and have found homemaking to be both stressful and challenging. 

Homemaking doesn't always come naturally to all women and many find it very difficult. They live in a muddle for years, not quite sure how to get out of it. If only these women had some Titus 2 women to help guide them, their struggles would have been so much more manageable. Sadly, Titus 2 women are on the decline which means younger women have lost their role models to help them on their professional journey as managers of their home. 

I was blessed with a mother that made sure that I had a strong set of home management skills that would allow me to run my own home without much difficulty.  From these skills, I have continued to learn more (as we all should), expanding me skill set to areas of interest such as sewing, quilting, jam making, bread making, and all sorts of other baking etc.. 

Whilst the keeping of one's home is not seen as valuable in society anymore, if women stopped doing this very important job, I can guarantee that there would be cries around the world when:

dirty washing starts to pile up
dinner not on the table in the evening
food not bought
fridge bare
bathrooms no longer cleaned
sheets not changed
school lunches not made
bills left unpaid
floors going dirty.  

Life would grind to sudden holt!! 

Whist these tasks might seem trivia to many, they do make the world go round and are essential to  both our health and well-being. Homemaking is indeed a profession in the sense it demands a woman's careful diligence in preparation, dedicated commitment to priority associated with the the tasks, energy and creativity. Dorothy Morrison wrote "Homemaking is not employment for slothful, unimaginative, incapable women. It has as much challenge and opportunity, success and failure, growth and expansion. perks and incentives as any corporate career"

Therefore for women who miss out on their training and apprenticeship find homemaking even more difficult and challenging.

What areas do you most struggle with and need further help?

We, as older women, should be doing more to help and I would love to write some blog posts that can help those in need. 


*****

Comments

  1. Thanks to my very capable mother, I entered into my marriage with many of the skills a homemaker might need. I can cook, bake, and sew. I can get stains out of laundry, and I can tell you what substitutions to make if you don't have buttermilk or tamarind paste or brown sugar. But I am ashamed to say that I'm not actually a very good homemaker.

    I'm really, really, (really) bad with procrastination and motivation. The dishes pile up, clean laundry sits in the dryer, and I usually put off vacuuming the floor until someone notices its condition...(seriously, it's shameful.) I get everything done eventually- my husband deserves clean socks and spoons. I just can't find the motivation or energy to do these things right away. I've tried imagining how nice the house will be when its done. I've tried rewarding myself with cookies or chocolate. I've tried making a to-do list. None of this has worked for more than a couple of days.

    Can any older, wiser, more accomplished ladies help me with this? I'd be so grateful for any advice you can give.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. To help me get things done - I have set myself rules that I try very hard to stick by - a big one is never going to bed with dirty dishes or a dirty kitchen. I wash many of my dishes as I am cooking which makes the final job so much easier. But if your dishes are done at night it means you wake up to a clean kitchen and that makes you feel so much less stressed about the tasks that need doing.

      I will try and write a blog post in the next week or so to help and I would love to hear from anyone else with their ideas of dealing with procrastination.

      Hang in there Rebecca and we will see what we can do :))

      Delete
    2. Rebecca, can totally relate. =)
      I just never seemed to get on top of the housework, and really, it was quite embarrassing! So, imagine my excitement when I found a "plan" for housework!!!! I adapted it for myself, and now, I am not embarrassed any longer! (well, most of the time ;) ).
      I think the first thing to remember is that it won't happen overnight, but with knowing there is a problem, and really wanting to fix it, you are on a good start!
      So, my housework plan is to sit down with a calendar of the weeks of the year, and plot out one room for each week - now some rooms get attended to more often, ie. the bathroom and kitchen; but the bedrooms maybe once every two or three months. I have very young kids, and still this works.
      The idea is that when each room comes up, you deep clean it. And feel great. As the weeks go on - and yes, you have to make an effort, but this is a long term plan and worth it; you will find that while you do those deep cleans on schedule, you are also motivated to do quick cleans of other rooms to keep everything up to scratch. I found that my whole house looked better all of the time, because in between deep cleans it only needed quick pickups and wipe downs.
      Don't know if this will help, but it worked for me, and I always think it is good to hear others stories - cause theirs might work for you too! =)
      Betsy

      Delete
    3. Thank you so much for your advice. :) It's good to know that other homemakers had this problem when they started out- I don't feel quite so inadequate. Getting the dishes done every night should help the kitchen immensely. I guess I can't wipe down the counters until they're clear. I might set an alarm on my phone to remind me to finish it before I go to bed.

      And, I hadn't thought of having one room for each day of the week. I've been trying to keep up with it all at once. I suppose that part of the procrastination comes from feeling overwhelmed. I have six rooms, if you don't count hallways, so that will be perfect. (Sunday's a day of rest, after all.) Thanks again!

      Delete
    4. Oh dear! Not a room each day of the week! I do one room PER week! It sounds scandalous at first sight, but really, the work does get done. A little each week being all that is "scheduled", means you have more energy for the picking up in the rooms that get used most each day...
      Betsy

      Delete
    5. Oh, I see! I completely read it wrong the first time. :)

      Delete
  2. Excellent post! I would encourage Rebecca not to lose heart. I was once just like her and time, age & growth have helped tremendously. I have 36 years of being a homemaker under my belt and really do enjoy it now. I don't know if she is a believer or not, but the Bible verse that tells us to do everything as unto the Lord puts a spring into my step. I imagine I'm doing these tasks for Him and it gives it all new purpose. Some days are easier than others, but it really does help me get motivated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree, know that you are doing it for the Lord does make all the differences. I find putting some music on whilst doing the housework makes it more enjoyable and getting it out of the way first thing in the morning and rewarding myself in the afternoon gives me something to look forward to :)Thanks for the great advice Nancy :)

      Delete
  3. Thank you for your encouragement! It really is good to know that many homemakers started out like me. I feel relieved that time seems to help. (I've only been married for 4 years.) And, thank you also for the reminder that everything we do should be for the Lord. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Like everything Rebecca, the more years of experience the better you get :)) Never give up, continue to pray about your situation and search for someone to help you.

      Have a wonderful day.

      Delete
  4. This is a great post and I appreciate you sharing it with us at Good Morning Mondays. I came into our marriage with very little training, but I am definitely not going to let my daughters lack the same way I did. I am doing my best to train them to manage a house when it is their time. Blessings

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't have any daughters so I trained my sons so they at least had a clue about living in their own homes. Both love to cook and my eldest (who is married) does most of the cooking and really enjoys doing it. They also know how to clean and look after a budget!! Hope your weekend has been enjoyable.

      Delete
  5. A lot of little things make up housekeeping, not just big chores... and until you become a homemaker yourself, I don't think you really realise how much there is to learn in order to help the household run smoothly. I'm thankful for the training and practice I received growing up and helping out around my parents' home - I think that really did help me make the transition to my own home.

    Regarding being motivated with homemaking, there's some things that take away my motivation to keep my house in order if I'm not careful - for example, if I spend too much time on the computer (or for others it might be their phone or watching TV), I find I neglect the home and even forget things that need to be done. Sometimes when I'm working on hobby projects like sewing it sucks all the energy and creativity out of me and I end up procrastinating or being unmotivated or even neglecting homemaking. So for me, an important part of getting it all done and being faithful as a housewife and mother is making sure I account for the hours of my day and keep an eye on how much time I spend online or doing hobbies and other things that can tend to consume me. If I notice I'm spending too much time online, I end up taking a break from facebook and try to keep away from technology as much as I can for a week (or more). It's amazing how much more motivated that helps me to be! And the same with any other thing that consumes me - taking a break really helps me reconnect with the roles God has given me in my home and family.

    And as others have said in the comments, doing it for the Lord (not for ourselves or our family) is really important! :)

    Oh - one more thing. There are certain things I really enjoy doing each day, but I do not allow myself to do them until the work is done - that on its own puts a fire under me to get the work done quickly so I can spend *more* time doing the things I love. That is a good motivator! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree with the idea of doing the most enjoyable tasks/activities after the not-so-enjoyable things are done as in a reward. It is like getting dessert after eating the main course!! One does need discipline in many things in life and housekeeping is no different. it isn't a holiday at home, it really is a job :) and like all jobs, it requires commitment and discipline.

      Delete
  6. Good post... there are so many things to do each day and it is important to keep our homes in a way that honors God and serves our husband and family. There are so many fun things to do, BUT it is too easy to neglect the more important ones and I hear of many women who get caught up in Pinterest and other things and neglect the actual work. There is a joy in doing our job... and doing it well. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have just written a post (for next week) all about wasting time - you are ahead of me!!! Sadly things like Pinterest are addictive and some women aren't very good at self-discipline and struggle to limit their time :( Yes, bathrooms do need to be cleaned and its one of those jobs I really avoid doing, but in the end someone has to do it!!!

      Have a lovely week.

      Delete
  7. The Lord seems to be leading me to all blog posts related to "making a Godly home". This is an area I have always strived for. Ever since I was little, I love family. My brothers and I always wanted a big family. (We were a family of 5 with just our grandparents to visit.) Now my brothers and I are married with our own children and enjoy big family gatherings.

    Our family is blessed to have no tension or strife. We truly enjoy spending time together.

    When my children were school-age, I homeschooled. It was one of the favorite times of my life!

    I always crawl into pictures that depict the life of a family, cozy and enjoying each other's company.

    With everything in the world pulling families from one activity to the other, I appreciate your post reminding us about what God has called us to do.

    Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think the cosy warm home gives us all comfort and a place to shelter from the world - we all need this space, it is critical to our wellbeing which is why it is important that we get it right otherwise our families do not have their cave to hid away in :)

      Your family sounds lovely and I am so glad you have been blessed - I grew up with a large extended family with many family get-togethers - these are one of my fondest memories of my childhood. And whilst all my cousins are scattered around the country and world - whenever we get together, our bond is still strong because of those times spent as children.

      Delete
  8. Great post. I particularly enjoyed the quotes. And yes please we need many more Titus 2 woman to encourage and uplift other wives and mothers. Having been married for 17 you'd think I'd be an expert but I came into marriage with limited skills and as I had baby's just tried to manage the best I could. Also being prone to procrastination I think the suggestion of cleaning the kitchen before bed is a good one plus I think some sort of schedule is needed. It's not that I do nothing (baking, home schooling, changing nappies) is work but not work that is seen or makes for a serene home environment when Dad comes home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am so blessed to have had a mother that was such a good teacher and she is in my head often but sadly she is now very elderly and unwell and its my dad that offers me the words of encouragement I need!! Yes, I agree that we need many more Titus 2 women to help other women, what a differences it would make.

      Believe me, a tidy kitchen makes the next morning SO much easier :)))) May your day be joyful and full of blessings :)

      Delete

Post a Comment