Me homemaker..but do I do nothing "sitting" at home?

Disappointing to note that my opponent thinks that being a homemaker means sitting at home doing nothing but cooking and watching k serials.

That is an attitude prevalent even among women in India who are employed outside the home... Once again, it has taken the western world to recognise the role of the homemaker as the most important job in the world. And it goes unpaid too!!!

A homemaker looks after the home so that the "gainfully employed" husband can come home to a calm base (whether it remains calm or not is another topic) . She looks after the kids, ensuring that they study well, eat well and play well. In India, she also looks after the elderly in-laws (atleast thats the idea). She looks after the past, present and the future generations..all at once..

She herself however, doesnt respect her role. In the modern scheme of things, going out for a work and getting that second salary has become more important than looking after kids or parents. I am not saying working after having kids is wrong. No sir. What I feel is the future generation is compromised due to the lapse of the very Indian concept of joint family. These days we cant stay even with our own parents. So kids are pushed to day cares, out in the world, in the hands of strangers at a very early age...even before they have bonded enough with their own flesh n blood.

Solution? Perhaps one of my best friend has achieved a good balance. She works in Mumbai for an international bank. Stays with her inlaws and has arranged an apartment for her ailing parents on a floor above. She manages to look after everyone and the responsibility of bringing up her 2 yr old kid is shared by everyone. The kid gets a wholesome environment to grow up in.

But can everyone afford to make such arrangements? If not what else is out there ??????