The telephone rang. . . I spent 10 minutes in idle conversation. Finally, I politely interrupted to say, "I have to leave on an errand in about 10 minutes, but have to finish up my housework first. I'll have to call you back later." But my phone guest wouldn't let me off the phone. (smiles) Has that ever happened to you?
I had spent the morning dusting, polishing, vacuuming, doing dishes, taking care of the laundry, and fixing meals. The rooms were almost sparkling. I had just one more section to vacuum and a couple more dishes to do, and I would have been finished. I would have been able to go out on the errand and enjoy an afternoon of rest when I got home. Through all my work, I had chatted with my husband and children, helped them with their needs, set up the schoolwork for my youngest student, and had some helpers working with me.
When phone guests take up more than a few minutes, it can derail our efforts in housekeeping. I asked my guest, "If you were at your job when I called, and you had to get back to work, would you let me keep you on the phone? Or would you tell me you HAD to go." The guest and I laughed. I then said, "No one takes homemaking seriously."
The fact is, if you are a housewife, you are in charge of the care and keeping of the home. It is your responsibility to make sure the rooms are not dirty and that they are periodically cleaned throughout the day. Just as employees at a company must do their assigned jobs. This is serious business.
I have heard the joke about stay-at-home moms. It goes something like this....
A career mom stops by to visit. She notices the house is in shambles, and everything is chaotic. Her snarky comment is, "Oh. . . I thought that since you were home all day, your house would be clean."
Have you heard that one? How often is it true?
People must understand that we often spend a few hours each day cleaning the house. We can't allow general (non-emergency) interruptions to distract us so much that we become procrastinators. We have to politely limit our activities enough so we can get our jobs accomplished each day - Just like a professional.
It is also important to rest, but we must be diligent in our work. My children are amused when I tell them I am on a break from my housekeeping.
Our breaks are like sitting on the front porch with a little lemonade, enjoying the afternoon sun. We are ready for visitors, or idle conversation as a form of refreshment and fellowship. But this is after our work is finished, or during our rest periods.
We, of course, are always available in an emergency and will drop whatever we are doing when needed. But in our normal daily life, we need to be about the business of housework.
Blessings
Mrs. White
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