Salute the housewife !

Mum once said " Dont think I'm not working . I work as a housewife and that is a full time job". I would not dispute that at all .Of late I have been observing her daily schedule and believe me , our work is nothing compared to hers.One never realizes the thousand and one things a housewife has to do until one has the empathy and good sense to appreciate it. Just look at the schedule: 1.Monday to Friday. Wake up at 5.30 am. Sweeps the floor, put the clothes in the washing machine and arranges all the things in the house neatly. Little grandchild comes in at around 640 am and its full time with him. 7.30 am takes the little fella out for his morning walk and be back by around 8,prepares his milk and then up to the bedroom for his morning nap. If I'm around I look after the little fella while she hurriedly has her breakfast or if I ta pau for her she has to wait for the little fella to sleep before she can have her breakfast. During the short time the child is asleep she will iron the clothes , or wash the dirty ones and after that take them out for drying. When the little one is awake , she is with him all the time and in between try to steal a bit of time to prepare the dinner stuff. I'm not sure if she has her lunch. After lunch time the little fella goes off for his afternoon nap and she has a bit of rest too. By 330 he is up and she looks after him till around 445 when the mum comes home. If you think that her day is over you are wrong because immediately after this she prepares dinner and by the time the first shift diners are finished she goes with me to fetch the other grandchild.And after that see that he has his dinner and helps him with whatever home work the school gives him. a little bit of breather before the last shift diners come back at around 8 and after that the washing up and washing the clothes .The next task will be to throw the rubbish and only when this is done will she find time to have her shower and get ready for bed. This goes on for five days and on Saturday she is free to do what she likes with her buddies.Come Sunday she leaves early for the week's marketing and after that its sorting out the things bought and then preparing the night's dinner.And again after that cleaning up again. This does not include the house cleaning, the washing and ironing of clothes and sorting out the household things. A housewife's work is multi and she has to be an all rounder, nanny, cook, cleaner , purchaser,etc.It takes a remarkable lady to be able to do all this and do it efficiently.Yet another thing is to be able to do all these things tirelessly and not complain about the work. What seems to be such a tiring job for many is carried out unselfishly.Yet one thing that strikes me is that we seem to take her for granted and do not have the empathy to realise that without her around our life would be so much more difficult.Yet we do not give her the due appreciation. A word of thanks , a word of appreciation, a little thought for her tiredness and a little effort to make her tasks a bit lighter would make so much difference.On my part I always try to make sure that she has time to eat and rest and whatever grumblings she has are taken in the right spirit for I believe she has earned the right to be grumpy and " naggy" and I would just let her let off steam. A housewife, a mother, a grandmother,an in law and a wife all in one is never easy to find. She carries out all her chores happily and rarely complains about the difficulty of the job and all these are carried out because of her love for everyone, her consideration for everyone and above all her mission to make life easier for everyone .We should think of how to make our feelings for her felt.To appreciate without telling is not complete.Tell and show that we appreciate what she is going for all of us and say and do the little things which will make her feel that all her efforts are not in vain.