International Women’s Day: What if a mother’s work wasn’t done?

It is International Womens Day, which celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women. So many women’s lives are altered and affected by family life, in the role we take on as a partner and parent. And of course it’s common knowledge that women take on the lion’s share of housework, child-rearing, social organising and more. 

On IWD we wondered, what would happen if women weren’t there to do this work?

Here, the BritMums team of editors reveal us what life at their house would be live without them.

Tell us in the comments what would be different in your world if you “downed tools” as a woman.

Nothing to wear

“If I wasn’t around, no one would have any clean clothes!” says BritMums Editor Nadine (www.JuggleMum.co.uk). “My husband and I do work together as a team to each be responsible for tidying the mess and helping to cook but I’m the only one who dares goes near the laundry basket!”

Fashion crimes

Claire Kirby, our LOL Round-up Editor who blogs at Life, Love and Dirty Dishes, says “Without me, my husband dresses the kids in pattern combinations that make your eyes hurt!” 

Emergencies?

“Without me, my family would appear in an episode of Countryside Rescue,” says Joanne Dewberry, Mums in Business Round-up Editor and Charlie Moos blogger. “It would be the family that drowned in empty loo rolls because no bugger can put them in the bin — any bin — I don’t care just as long as it’s a bin! A bin with a lid. The bath isn’t a bin. Nor is the floor. Or the top of the toilet.”

New definition of ‘well-balanced diet’

Clare Nicholas (www.emmysmummy.com), How To’s Round-up Editor, says “Without me our children would live on super noodles and sausage sandwiches. If it can’t be fried, it won’t be cooked, and a fruit or vegetable would never enter the house.”

No gifts, but also a bonus?

There’d be no birthday parties! And possibly no Christmas presents either for anyone in the family as I organise them for all the extended family as well as our own,” says Amie Shearer (findingourfeet.co.uk), Under 30 Parents Round-up Editor. “But safe to say our house would be miles tidier, there’d be less biscuits in the cupboards and my partner might have a bit more hair left on his head — apparently I’m to blame for the rate he’s lost it….”

Have you seen this child?

“Without me all seven children would end up in the wrong place at the wrong time (probably late) and half the time they would be forgotten to be collected!” says Mandi Morrison (www.hexmumblog.com), Art & Culture Round-up Editor.

Bring on the football marathons

“My husband would be able to really max out on any football-related drinking activities and subsequent hangovers, with no-one to admonish him in the following week,” says Sam Wills (www.mousemoometoo.com), Health Round-up Editor: “Although he’d have to clear up his own mess. Not that I hold a grudge or owt.” 

Awkward conversations

“I had to have the growing-up talk with my near-10-year-old girls a couple of weeks ago as I’m starting to see changes,” says Michelle Pannell (www.mummyfromtheheart.com), Positively Inspirational Round-up: “Once we were finished, one of them told me she was so glad I was alive and she didn’t have to talk to Daddy about all this kind of stuff. I reassured her Daddy would be fine if she ever needed to chat personal stuff with him too. Truthfully I think he’d die of embarrassment but they don’t need to know that!”

Media would suffer

“The magazine industry would be a far duller place,” predicts Greta Solomon (www.gretasolomon.com), Expat Round-up Editor. “Just think of all the great titles aimed at us women. I LOVE women’s magazines and in a typical week I’ll read at least three! I see the perfect images [of airbrushed beauty] as art. Not something I need to strive to achieve. I hope that we’ll stop judging ourselves and others by impossible standards.”

On the serious side, for single parents

“I’ve not got a funny anecdote. It’s my worst nightmare,” admits Hannah Atkinson (www.Hannahspannah.co.uk), Single Parent Round-up. “I’m a single mum of an only child. One of my biggest fears is becoming ill and leaving him behind. I do everything I can to stay healthy and teach him as much as possible and tell him I love him a hundred times a day.”

Of course there is the obvious benefit…

“Unless men manage to figure out how to reproduce all by themselves, I’d give it 80 years max. ;)” saysLiz Burton (missielizzie-meandmyshadow.blogspot.co.uk), Pets Round-up Editor.

And a lovely parting thought

Lizzie Somerset (http://lizziesomerset.com), Positively Inspirational Round-up, says, “A world without women is like a garden without fragrance. We add colour, life and love into the world.”

Find out more about International Womens Day.