B2 – Upper Intermediate
Living without a traditional job is now the new lifestyle. Nowadays, people choose not to make a career and decide to try a different way of living. Moms and dads have also been shifting roles.
Although it isn’t very new, being or having a househusband is still something that not everyone is willing to flaunt this domestic arrangement out in the open.
Please read the article to know more about the househusbands of Wall Street.
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does the idiom “at the top of the heap” mean, “I’ve been covering the elite echelons of big law firms for over 10 years, and I can tell you that many of the women who make it to the top of the heap often have a man at home who’s shepherding the kids around town, planning the meals, and otherwise keeping the hearth fired up.”? Use it in your own sentence.
- What does the word “ambivalence” mean, “All of this points to our entrenched ambivalence about changing gender roles. Men in these situations often feel alienated, particularly if they are surrounded by stay-at-home moms.”? Use it in your own sentence.
- What does the word “bow out” mean, “Though three couples were happy to speak to me on the record about their arrangement, many more bowed out about going public.“? Use it in your own sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- Do you think that being a househusband is an alternative lifestyle to having a regular job? Why?
- Why are househusbands less common than housewives?
- What are your thoughts on this reversed domestic gender roles?
- Share your opinion on this statement: “We simply haven’t evolved to the point where a househusband is considered desirable.“.
- How are fathers better at being in-charge of raising the children and taking care of everything domesticity-related?
- Do you know any proud stay-at-home dads? What can you say about their lifestyle?
4 replies on “Househusbands Embarrass their Wives”
1. Nowadays, being househusband is only possible if his partner can earn enough money to support the family. More and more women are getting high level positions in companies. But it does not mean that their husbands stay at home. Instead, they both work and usually hire people to take care of the house.
2. From my point of view, we have been taught that the main income come from men. It is a matter of the education we have received at school and parents, and the contrary is not well seen.
3. I think that staying at home is not an option for either men or women. Work is important for everyone to feel useful in life. Therefore, I do not agree with this statement
4. This statement is partially true. But I think that it is not a question of evolution since housewife is not desirable either. The ideal situation would be a balance between work and house for both women and men.
5. Every person is different, and some fathers will be better attending their children’s problems, others will prefer to be in charge of cleaning of the house and some will have to learn all the tasks because their parents did not teach them how to manage it.
6. No, I don’t know any person who stay at home while his couple is working and bringing the money at home.
Good job working on your writing skills. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic.
Here is a sentence you can still revise by using the idiom, “to bring home the bacon”, which also means “to earn a living”.
Until the next one!
1. In my opinion it is, because it is a demanding lifestyle, like a permanent job.
2. Because culturally, society is used to women being housewives and men being the workers who bring home the food.
3. I think this is a very good change. I am one of those who have this domestic role. I share all the housework 50/50 with my wife and I try to do as much as I can.
4. Share your opinion on this statement: “We simply haven’t evolved to the point where a house husband is considered desirable”.
5. I think this statement is true, but that society is changing and it is no longer so rare to have a house-husband.
6. Because it is new for them.
7. I´m one of them. Although I also have my regular job. I wouldn’t mind being a stay-at-home dad. I love that lifestyle. The only problem would be having less money to live on.
Your efforts practicing your writing is very much commendable. Keep at it!
Take a look at another way to express this phrase:
Good work!