Housewifery

My Grandma, the wise lady who once told me that I'd treat my husband like I treat my brother (and I was like, ha-ha, Grandma, there's no way my husband will annoy me this much), takes umbrage at being called a housewife:

"I married my husband, not my house."


Too right.  So many of us "SAHMs"--it took me forever to figure out that means Stay At Home Mom, so if you're a dummy like me..now you know--try to find other words to describe what we do: Domestic Engineer, wife and mom, stay at home mom, soccer mom.

I read an article in the Wall Street Journal once about the problems that stay at home dad's were having in society, as they didn't have a group to fit in socially.  It's kinda true.  Every time I've met a stay at home dad, I've thought, "I guess we know who's career was doing better."...and I have very little to say to the poor guy.  What do we have in common, right?  Diapers?  I planned to be doing what I'm doing--so much so that I consider this my first career.
WSJ's advice?  When asked, just say you are what you used to do.  Now, that doesn't work as well for me, who used to be a junior supervisor at a pharmacy helpdesk, but if I was an architect (the example WSJ used), now that would be great.  Cuz you never stop being an architect, right?  But, saying, "I'm a stay at home mom" is a similar conversation killer when you're in a room full of type-A people with their typical careers.  I have a brain, and can talk about stuff other than what has been happening on HGTV, or how hard it is to potty train someone who has a hose for a urinary tract!

I was thinking along those lines when I thought, "I home school.  That's legitimate.  I'm providing a personalized education for my 3 children.  I planned to do this since I was 19.  It's my first career, and one that I'm very passionate about.  Just because I don't have to file taxes for it, doesn't mean it's not valid."

So now when asked what I do, I proudly say, "I home school my children."  And you know what?  I've been having some very scintillating conversations.

Oh, and my linked in profile?  It says I'm the Director of Development.