Time For Extra Time

Originally published March 31st, 2010

So did anyone else see the Dr. Phil episode entitled, "Are moms really that busy?" I didn't get to see the whole thing (still no Tivo). It was about a new study by John Robinson, a sociologist at the University of Maryland. He says, "Women have time. Women have at least 30 hours of leisure every week. In fact, women have more leisure now than they did in the 1960s, even though more women are working outside the home."

Excuse me? Ummmm....how does this make any sense whatsoever? If more of us are filling up our days with additional work, how do we have additional leisure time? Brigid Schulte of the Washington Post published an interesting article about her participation in his time analysis. I enjoyed her commentary and laughed at his results. His INTERPRETATION of "leisure time" is what is completely wrong, crazy, and idiotic.

He counted her time waiting for a tow truck as leisure! Whenever I get asked, "What do you like to do for leisure?" I always say, "Oh, I love waiting for tow trucks." So maybe this goofball can count, but he's counting the wrong things! And he's counting many of the wrongs things often left up to mothers. Wrapping a birthday present, cooking dinner, feeding a baby. Basically, any time you spend not working at a job you're getting paid for. And the kicker here? What else is going on while you're attempting the ACTUAL leisure activities? I say "attempting" because it usual takes a few tries to complete any activity at my house. Let's say writing this blog is leisure time. Do I count the two times I stopped to take Grayson to the potty, the third time he didn't make it and had to be cleaned up, and nursing Brielle as part of my blog writing leisure time? Oh, wait. There's no hourly rate for that. My WHOLE LIFE is leisure time then. And all you working folk, when you're doing laundry or paying bills or mowing your lawn, things we all have to do that you don't get paid for... That's also leisure time. Leisure time. What a lame-o.