For generations people have been led to believe that men work harder than women. In a home of equality today, if it is an idea situation, then there are men that may work as hard as women, but at no time in American history have men worked harder than women, under normal circumstances. (Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, this deals with the majority statistics and not individual circumstances of ill health, drug addicted, lazy and the privileged)
Long before the settlers and pioneers reached American soil the Indian women were assuming all the work of the camps. Not only did they plant and harvest the crops, take care of the children, both clothing them and feeding them, as they prepared the hides that they wore as well as raised the crops they ate, they also found, sharpened and hollowed the tools/utensils and bowls made. They washed,ground, and dried the food, set up the camps and hunted the small game and berries. The men pretty much made peace or planned and fought in the wars between the tribes, tamed the ponies and went on the great buffalo hunts. Women and children would also participate in these hunts, by cleaning and skinning the buffalo and hanging the hides to dry. They searched for and prepared the roots and bark that was used in medicine to treat the sick.
Pioneer women would work side by side with the men to prepare the crops, harvest the grain, build and feed the crews that worked on building both the sod and log houses. They helped clear the land as much of America was over-ran with forests and in some areas were great sand deserts that were sowed by hand. Every couple that married were expected to lose children due to plagues, infections and accidents. Women’s work was quite simply any and all things to do with making sure that children and families were fed and clothed, lived, and homes kept, grains harvested and turned into flour and food prepared.
As hard as life was in the earlier part of our history, statisticians say that at no time has the American worker worked harder than what our current generation is working. No generation before it put a greater percentage of hours dedicated to work,than what our young workers work today. The added machines and technology have increased rather decreased the labor load. The pioneers were limited by day light hours as to when they could work where as women today are not.
Children’s activities have greatly increased as have the hours for parents to perform on their jobs and meet deadlines. As the population increases the work increases with it. Many women that work at home are both running the home, looking after the neighbor kids along with their own and car pooling to all kinds of activities as well as responsible for the great majority of community and church activities that run during the day hours, as I mentioned in the previous blog.
Even if men are still with their families many men come home and their days are finished whereas most women that work are just beginning another 8 hour shift of work in the home. This is totally true with the single Moms raising the family alone. While stay at home Moms quite often are heading to volunteer or part time work that keep communities not just running but in some cases thriving.
So when people ask, “Why is it that women expect greater attention and dollars spent, for Valentine’s Day?” The answer is quite, simple. They work all year for the comforts of their family doing the greater share of child rearing, and adding both the necessary as well as the gentler touches to the families comfort, so why not let women know that they are appreciated ,by going one step further, than the woman in your life, and saying, “Thanks Honey!”
