As wife, what role you see for yourself in your family?

@kishusia (1066)
India
April 15, 2007 2:51am CST
In my family, there are my in-laws, my husband, me, my brother-in-law and his wife and our two daughters, 5 and one year old. My husband goes out for work and all others run business from our home. Like other family members, I have multiple roles. I assist in the business and look after the household and family members. All these roles are disvharged as a member of the family team. It is a very convenient arrangement. I like it. What is the size of your family and what role you see as wife in your family?
5 people like this
17 responses
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
15 Apr 07
There are 5 of us in my household. My husband and I plus our 2 girls and my mother. Right now, I feel like a referree as my husband and my mom and my husband and my oldest daughter are all into it. He thinks my mom should move out and I say that she can't afford to. It is a mess. Other wise, I am normailly a lot of different roles. I work outside the home, I homeschool my girls, I do most of the cooking and cleaning, most of the errands, and all of the laundry. I hate it,but I do it. I must say that I admire all SAHMs. I wish I could do that but finances don't allow it! I wish I could have lived several years ago when moms didn't work- they were home with their children where they should be.
1 person likes this
• Canada
15 Apr 07
It seems as though you are really overwhelmed. I was in that boat once too. My husband and daughters tell me constantly how they don't know how I did it. They appreciate a lot more now everything that I do for them and thank me for being there for them. You will see the benefits later, but don't be afraid to delegate. We don't do ourselves any favours by trying to be supermoms. Explain to them how they need to work as a team, and try not to give up on them.
1 person likes this
@gwendovere (1279)
• United States
15 Apr 07
Hi there! This may be a little weird to some people... but we have a bit of a "role reversal" in our family. I am a wife ~ but I'm the "bread winner." My hubby stays home, currently. We have a home business as well, and I run it primarily. But my hubby & sometimes our son (10 yrs.) help me with it. We don't cook a whole lot ~ we aren't great cooks! So we eat out quite a bit, and sort of take turns cooking. We both clean & my hubby takes care of the yard. It works, for the most part. We have quite a few pets & he takes care of them when I'm at work. And he takes care of my son while I'm working, too. It's not perfect ~ but it works for now. And I do like working. I like to have the independence that goes along with it. My own income, my own money. My time away from home. Also ~ when I can, I go to college as well. I am pursuing a degree in psychology.
• United States
15 Apr 07
Role reversal is a very common thing these days. I know that getting the hep around the house can be very challenging to the women who is the stay at home parent, but things are very different when they man is the stay at home parent. I think that he gets far more help than a women in this position does. No problem with not cooking either. I was like that and deciding it was cheaper to each in and have been learning how to cook great dishes that only take about 10 minutes of prep time. sounds like you are headed in the right direction
@icequeen (2840)
• Canada
15 Apr 07
Well...our immediate family consists of three. Myself..my son and my boyfriend. However ...we do spend quite a lot of time with my father-in-law...so I guess that counts. I feel I have many roles. Mother, wife, ...and caretaker. I think I am the boss...although my boyfriend may disagree....lol. I am the one who remembers everything...when others don't. I am the one who takes care of the household duties. I make most of the decisions. I am the cook and cleaner. I also have other responsiblities outside of motherhood...which include writing...I think women have many duties in today's world...which are sometimes overlooked and unappreciated...
1 person likes this
@rusty2rusty (6751)
• Defiance, Ohio
15 Apr 07
In my family, I am a wife,mother...basiclly a homemaker. But with that job comes mutilpe tasks. I also live beside my in laws and help them out computer wise alot. My husband works full time as a mainence man outside the home. Than for my in laws.
1 person likes this
@LouanneB (53)
• Canada
15 Apr 07
My role has changed a lot this past year. For over the past 28yrs,I did all of the cooking and cleaning, drove the kids from place to place, and worked on a full-time basis outside of the home. My husband used to work 55-80 hrs a week. I basically kept the fort together. Our two girls are now 26 and 29. Since his place of work closed their doors after 20 yrs, we relocated almost 4 hrs away. Now he works for 5-6mths out of the year, and enjoys it. I work 40-55 hrs a week for a major company that produces baby formula. I give helpful advice and support with feeding to new moms or already moms with new babies, and love it! I come home to a clean house and hot meal most of the time. I also run an internet business. We spend time with friends and family when I am not working. I am like a best-friend to our girls, and have the energy and pleasure to spoil my husband. Our relationship has never been better.
@mrbranan (1012)
• United States
15 Apr 07
I am the glue in our family. I do everything from cooking, cleaning, working a fulltime job, raise the kids, and everything else any needs done.
1 person likes this
• India
16 Apr 07
I have Parent-in-laws, my Husband, me, my Brother-in-law, in my Family. y Husband is busy wid his Company. I too run my own Business from Home. I deal in Handicraft Items. I have to play many roles here, a daughter-in-law, a Wife, a Sister-in-law, a Business Woman, a Guide, a Teacher,etc....
@mjgarcia (725)
• United States
19 Apr 07
In our family there is my husband, me and our three children. My husband is the main bread winner, I work 35 hours a week. I'm the main cook, but he cooks occasionally. He does help some with the house, but most of it is left to me. Once a week, we make the kids do extra and have a quick clean up for the weekend. I'm the taxi service for everyone since we only have one car. I'm trying to do a home business on the side, but haven't received much support. Overall my role is pretty much that of a traditional wife.
• United States
16 Apr 07
I don't have much of a family. I have my mother, my fiance and my little sister. At this moment, I don't have much of a real role. I have several health problems and can't find work. We're also never having children, so that isn't a factor. My future in-laws aren't really in the picture becuase they're disgusting people and I want nothing to do with them. Hopefully I'll be able to find a job and be able to contribute more.
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
15 Apr 07
Wow you have a lot of family members living with you :) As for my little family of three, I am a full time stay at home mom taking care of my 4 year old son. My husband is the breadwinner of our family at the moment. Prior to moving to USA in August 2006, we both worked while my son was being looked after by family members. My husbands job brought us to the USA and because we were not familiar with our surroundings, we decided it was best I stay home to take care of my son, until he goes to school in September this year. I love being a stay at home mom, taking care of my son, the household chores and running errands, however sometimes it can become overwhelming and a bit too much. My hubby works really hard and seldom helps me out at home but I do get to have time away or time out to do other things besides being a full time mom (mostly in the weekends). Life couldn't be any better at the moment~
• United States
20 Apr 07
My family is very small - my baby, my hubby and me. However I have to play many roles but the aim is maintain the house nicely.
• China
15 Apr 07
In my family,only my husband and me.My parents in law live in an other city,and my parents do not live in the same city.we have no plan to have a baby.Because we think we have a lot of things to do,and should make more money.But I am earning to have a baby.How luck to be a mother I think.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
18 Apr 07
i am a wife for 22 years alrady and i know we have a great role in the family..as wife mother sister teacher roled into one.i am a working mom and i always see to eat that i function well as a mom by taking care of my children with love and affection and so as a wife.. i need to see to it that i take care too my husband and giving all want he needs, that why as wife theres a great role we have,,
• India
15 Apr 07
a family has many people. Each one of them has a particular role to play. Collectively they play the role of the family as one unit. If they play this collective role and their individual roles as a cohesive team, there is alround happiness and satisfaction in the family. But if any one or more of them fail to live up to their role, there is conflict in the family. I understand the role assigned to me and work to perform that role with my fullest ability in the manner it should be done. So far, with God's grace and support of all, I have been able tp perform that role as expected of me.
1 person likes this
@Bee1955 (3882)
• United States
16 Apr 07
When I become ill or in the hospital for an extensive stay. Every activity in the house STOPS. No bills get paid, boxes or letters mailed, laundry done or meals cooked. I come home to pizza boxes, a foot-high stack of unopened mail on the diningroom table and dishes piled so high they are about to fall on the floor. This, in a family of adults. At my desk before I could go lie down, I direct the crew to their household assignments and the house is put back into order while I open the mail and write checks for the bills. I called home and asked them to PLEASE do this or that, but nooooooo! My mother-in-law says that the guys need physical direction and I am it. I dont know whether to be pleased to be so needed or angry because they pretend to act so helpless! LOL!
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
15 Apr 07
In my immediate household there is my hubby and our 3 kids, and myself of course. I haven't really ever thought of what my role is here, it just all "happens". I am the one who maked the grocery lists, but my hubby and I take turns with the shopping. I am the one my kids come to for almost everything, I cook most of the meals, and I am my hubby's best friend, and he is mine. I'd like to thing I am the "rock" in the family, I know where everyone needs to be and when they need to be there, and usually provide the transportation if it's for my kids. There are really too many roles the woman in the family plays to get into. I gurss now that I think about it I am everything. :)
• United States
16 Apr 07
My role is definitely that of a help mate for my husband. We both work part time so we both help out with taking care of the kids and the house. Currently we also have my sister in law and her two daughters staying with us so I have also helped out as a babysitter and mentor for them. My most important role is of mom. I am the one who kisses the booboos and tends to the fevers and calms the fears. When they need comforting them come to me.