Simplified Laws Guide to Taxation and Legal Concern Those of us who step out each day for work often carry ourselves like heroes of the household. The family looks up to the earning member as the breadwinner, the provider, the saviour and rightly so. There is nothing wrong with this perspective. Anyone who understands the challenges of earning a decent living deserves recognition from their family.
I am one such person pampered and appreciated by my family for being the earning member. For a long time, I too believed that what I was doing was something great. By nature, I tend to appreciate others and acknowledge their efforts, so I would regularly thank my mother and wife for their tireless contributions at home.
However, over the past two months, I have been trying to involve myself more in kitchen work. One task I have consistently done over the years is washing dishes after dinner. I have always enjoyed doing it while playing music it felt like both a stress-buster and a small contribution. In addition to that, I helped occasionally with chores like chopping vegetables or grating coconut.
But it’s only when I took on full-fledged cooking work recently, standing in front of the gas stove, grinding, chopping, mixing masalas, waiting for the cooker’s whistle (!) that I truly realised how demanding household work can be. It’s just as exhausting, if not more, than a day at the office.
After preparing lunch this past Sunday, I felt compelled to write this short note as a tribute to all homemakers. Their work is not only thankless but often subject to unfair criticism when the food isn’t hot enough or doesn’t taste quite right.
Mothers and wives often work 12 hours a day, managing multiple tasks from morning to night. If this were a workplace, they would be hailed as expert multitaskers. And while we may have housemaids, kitchen work still demands intense effort, energy, focus, and planning. It’s not just physical labour; it requires mental application and time management, juggling tasks across breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Add to that the countless interruptions like phone calls, laundry pickups, maid coordination, e-commerce deliveries, gardeners, and more.
If I were to compare the total hours put in by homemakers to those working outside, I’m certain they work more. And the results of their labour are immediate and tangible: a timely cup of coffee, a comforting lunch, a flavourful dinner. These are not minor accomplishments.
So, yesterday evening, I formally thanked my mother and wife for their immense contribution to running our home without pay, without promotions, without complaint, without compliments, for years, even decades. They truly deserve our heartfelt appreciation.
If you resonate with this thought, I encourage you to extend your gratitude today to the homemakers in your life.
