The difference between a housewife and a homemaker.
By RULizzie
@RULizzie (100)
United States
January 31, 2011 11:37am CST
I am a well educated person that has chosen to stay home with my two young boys. It strikes me that there is a symantic difference between a housewife and a homemaker. I think that I started as a housewife. I mainly took care of the children and running around. I now think that I have become more of a homemaker. I am still home with my two boys, but have become much more involved in the house. I started making pasta, and bread, and bake at least once a week. My family has also started to grow a lot of its own food, so I have begun making many things from scratch. In part, this transition, has to do with a need to save money, and in part to get better quality food. Do you prefer to be called a housewife or homemaker?
3 responses
@cbchops (61)
• United States
1 Feb 11
Though they are often used equivocally, I think there is a distinction between the two words. In my opinion, it's kind of like the words mother and mommy. Any woman can become a mother, but not all mothers deserve to be called mommy. A housewife is merely a woman who does not work outside of the home, while a homemaker is a bit different. A homemaker (male or female) is one who makes it his or her responsibility to turn a house where the family resides into a home where they live, laugh, play, enjoy life. I would definitely prefer to be called a homemaker. I work everyday to make sure our home is a warm, welcoming place for family and friends.
@mermaidivy (15394)
• United States
31 Jan 11
I think they are pretty much the same. I don't mind being called either one.
@Catana (735)
• United States
31 Jan 11
There's no difference between the two words. I think homemaker popped up at a time when women's liberation was a big deal, and women who stayed at home to take care of their husbands and children were made to feel as if they were doing something wrong. Basically, it was just another one of those attempts to make something sound better. I was married for almost 40 years and raised two children. I never had any problem with "housewife" and never used "homemaker" to describe myself. I made bread and pasta, and did all my cooking from scratch, but I really can't see how that made me more of a homemaker than a housewife.
