Housewife

A housewife is a person, traditionally a married woman, whose primary occupation is managing the household and caring for family members rather than engaging in full-time paid employment outside the home. Duties commonly include cooking and meal planning, cleaning and laundry, budgeting and shopping, scheduling appointments, child care and elder care, and maintaining the home and its domestic routines.

Historically, the term emerged in early modern English as a gendered designation tied to the management of a household in a family setting. In many cultures, homemaking was expected of women, while men were associated with paid work outside the home. The specific duties and social status attributed to housewives have varied across time and place, depending on economic systems and cultural norms.

Economically, much of the work performed by housewives is unpaid and not counted in gross domestic product, though it supports family welfare and productive activity in other sectors. Some studies attempt to estimate the value of unpaid domestic labor. The rise of dual-earner households and formal education for women has led to shifts in how the role is understood and practiced.

Contemporary usage often favors gender-neutral terms such as homemaker or stay-at-home parent to describe the role, recognizing that it can be held by any parent, regardless of gender. The position remains a matter of social policy and personal choice in many countries, where access to affordable childcare, parental leave, and flexible work arrangements influence its prevalence.