National Homemaker Day (National Housewife Day) Date in the current year: November 3, 2024

The term homemaking is primarily used in the United States and Canada. It refers to the management of a home, which typically includes housekeeping (cooking, cleaning, laundry), home maintenance, household management (de-cluttering, household shopping, budgeting, making sure the bills are paid, etc.), and taking care of children or other family members who cannot take care of themselves. A person in charge of homemaking who is not employed elsewhere is called a homemaker.

Historically, the term housewife was more common than the term homemaker because of stereotypical gender roles. For a long time, homemaking was the responsibility of the woman, while the man was responsible for providing for his family financially. Even today, when in most Western societies it is more common for both spouses to work and share household responsibilities, gender inequality still persists at many homes. On the other hand, the number of stay-at-home dads (househusbands) has been gradually increasing. Due to this, the gender-neutral term homemaker is preferred by many stay-at-home spouses and their partners.

Being a homemaker isn’t easy even in the modern world where we have various household appliances, cars, online shopping, budgeting apps, and other things that make running a household much easier. What many people don’t understand is that homemaking isn’t just about physical work; the mental load of managing a household is enormous. It involves remembering and planning everything that needs to be done, executing any household tasks that may arise, as well as anticipating and fulfilling the needs of other family members.

Homemakers are often seen as “less than” because they don’t have a paid job and it is their spouses who are the breadwinners of the family. However, it is thanks to homemakers that breadwinners have the opportunity to be more focused on their career and earn enough to support their families on a single income. Homemakers may not contribute financially, but their labor is just as valuable and their contributions to the family are just as important. Some couples where both spouses work and split household chores look down upon homemakers, but it is important to remember that any arrangement is fine as long as both partners are happy with it and have made sure that the stay-at-home spouse is protected financially.

The origins of National Homemaker Day, sometimes referred to as National Housewife Day (even though this name is less inclusive), are unclear, but there is no doubt that stay-at-home partners deserve to be celebrated and get the credit they deserve. If your partner is the homemaker in your relationship, make sure to let them know that you appreciate everything they do. You can buy them a present, take them out on a date, or treat them to a day of rest. And don’t forget to give a shout-out to your partner on social media with the hashtags #NationalHomemakerDay and #NationalHousewifeDay.