Flipped Out!
I live in a “flipped” household. I don’t know if that’s the official name for it, but it describes our domesticity very well. Two years ago my husband lost his job, and after ten years of being a SAHM, I had to go back to work. Now my husband stays home and I work two jobs, one as a special education teacher and the other as a writer. I enjoy them both.
Flipping our household wasn’t easy, but it was an eye-opening experience. My husband discovered that taking care of the kids and home wasn’t as simple as it looked. He used to be a fanatic about the house being clean, especially when he came home from work. Now that he’s in charge, things tend to pile up, such as the dust covering my computer printer right now. In his defense, he does manage our farm, so it’s not like he lies around and watches TV all day, despite the dozens of Star Trek episodes scheduled on the TIVO.
As for me, I looked forward to working outside the home. I’m not the greatest housekeeper, and I missed the face-to-face interaction of adults. However, I now know how my husband felt when he came home from work—exhausted, stressed, and sometimes grumpy. No wonder he wanted dinner ready, or at least in the process of cooking.
Changing stereotypical gender roles has also changed our relationship with each other. We have to communicate more because we’re both still adjusting to our new occupations. I have to prioritize my time to fit in the areas of my life that are important to me such as my faith, family and friends. Through all of this Jimmy and I have grown closer to each other and to the Lord. It’s all good!
For more information about me and my writing, please visit my website. Thanks to Tricia for allowing me to take over her blog for the day.
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