I work 9 til 3 Monday thru Friday. Works great as no need for before or after school care. But I am also the housewife. Hubby is hopeless around the house (can thank the mil for that!) so I do all that too. So between work, kids sports and the house I'm fair buggered all the time!

Single mum on the dole with 5 kids and want 3 more

I am not one thing. I am many different things. I've been each of these & both at the same time. Why do we feel the need to categorize each other?

I’m both. Currently on maternity leave but prior to having this baby I was only working one day a week and was a stay at home mum/housewife the other 6 days.

I gave up work to be a housewife, and starting our family soon followed after. I thought that being a housewife and stay at home mum was going to be easy. And in a way it is. It's mentally exhausting, but I don't have to deal with office politics and customers and impressing bosses.

But I underestimated how mentally tough it is. It's been (for me, not necessarily for anyone else) slowly losing my sense of identity, losing my self worth, having to learn to anticipate my family's needs beforehand, learning to properly manage a household and my time effectively, and slowly learning to be my own cheerleader. I've also had to cope with losing my sense of independence which was really hard and something I'm trying to claw back.

I really admire mums who work. They look so glamorous, with noce hair and clacking heels. You go ladies! I think they must be incredibly organised and have such amazing stamina. At least when I get really exhausted at around 1pm, I can rig it up for a nap. The thought of going back to the office or back to retail is daunting. I've been applying for jobs for the last 3 years with no luck. But one day, I'll be back in the workforce and hopefully be able to help my husband support our family financially.

Im a single full time carer, full time student at night and work casual. Busy busy and yes its pay check to pay check. But once i finish studying hopefully we can actually live more and not just survive.

I always worked at least part-time casual. Up until 5 months ago i had 2 casual jobs but both business have closed down. My husband earns a very good salary and goes away a lot. With his work, 2 kids, where we live, It's hard for me to work. I don't need to financially, but i do enjoy working. With hubbys job though i need to hold the fort with EVERYTHING else - house, kids, pets, bills, organising etc etc, etc I'm always busy

I was a house wife for 5 years (and a SAHM) and it sent me mad! Im a worker. I love to work. I didn't enjoy being at home everyday. So now I work 4 days a week while my girls are in school.

I’m a SAHM but I am looking to get back in the workforce part time. We are lucky enough that I haven’t needed to work and we don’t qualify for anything from Centrelink but I feel it is time to go back and start contributing monetarily to our family.

I work 50 hours a week out of the house and I feel like I still do everything I did as a stay at home mum, I just have way less time and energy to get it done and I miss so much now. I know it can feel mundane staying home with your babies but I really wish I'd have realised how lucky I was.

I work and study. Both part time.

I work, I don’t like the idea of not being independent. I worked part time when the kids were young. My kids are teens now and secretly proud I have my own career. I feel like I am more relevant and lead an interesting life with a job.

Working, because I have a family to provide for. I like working and contributing to society as well.

I do both. Work 2 full days and home with my girls the rest of the time.