'Housewifery'
My son Anton takes charge of our Mom and Son Podcast every Tuesday at 7 a.m. (or any time at your convenience through Spotify, iTunes and Buzzsprout) including topics to be discussed.
For yesterday he decided to talk about “Housewifery.” 
It’s also very timely because this is our first podcast and my first article for the month of March which is the International Women’s Month. And I tell you, most, if not all, women who are mothers have to contend with this issue of balancing career and homemaking.(If you want to listen to the podcast, please click here or any of the links enumerated below.)
Being a full-time homemaker during the growing up years of our sons is one of the best decisions I made in my life. It gave me the opportunity to get to know each one of them in an unhurried fashion. It also gave me lots of fulfillment and joy because they’re such a delight to be with. But of course this decision also went with a lot of headaches and occasional doubts whether I did the right thing or not. It is not to the only way to raise your children well, but to me, it was.
So further to our podcast discussion, here are some tips I wish to share with mothers who made the same decision I made and also to those who are contemplating on devoting their focused and undivided attention to the growing up years of their children. These were some of the things that helped me not lose my identity and be an “exciting homemaker!”
- Always have a project to keep your brain cells active.
- Read a lot, and share what you learn with your husband and kids.
- Attend parenting and other self-improvement seminars.
- Learn a new skill. You can do it during the school year or you can join your kids’ summer classes if they interest you. (I even joined the boys’ kickboxing summer classes!)
- Do not watch too much TV, you might not notice it but it’s a waste of time. This goes the same for spending too much time on social media. Be selective with what you always expose yourself to.
- Go out with friends and family regularly.
- Surround yourself with happy people.
- Have a regular date with your husband and prepare for it as you did during your dating days.
- When you go out, dress up well. You don’t have to be fully made up all the time but before you step out of the house, just imagine that you might bump into people you know like your friends, your husband’s friends, or maybe even your ex? In fact, look good even if you’re just at home. (Okay, I struggled with this years ago because I just loved wearing my tattered but comfy pambahays. But mind you, this habit was limited to the four corners of our house and I think I’ve already recovered from this syndrome.)
- Make your house worth visiting for friends and family, and most especially for yourself since you will be staying there most. One of the best compliments I get from the boys is when they say, “Our house is our sanctuary!”
- Exercise. Endorphins, which are secreted during exercise, make you happy.
- Make someone happy.
- Treat household helpers and chores with the same business sense that you are already familiar with.
- Schedule for each helper and expectations.
- Rating criteria and actual rating to be the basis of merit increase.
- Interview applicants and see if there is a match in the personality of your household employees.
- Teach them how to save and invest and try to make their stay with you an improvement in their life.
- If you can, try to have an earning activity.
- Write. When you have a funny or profound experience, write it down and capture your emotions on paper (or computer or any writing device of your choice). It will be nice to look back and read them later on. Who knows, you might end up with a book just like what happened to me?
- Don’t shop for clothes if you notice that you gained weight. Go back to your ideal weight then shop for nice clothes.
- Make monthly Cashflow Statements and quarterly Balance Sheets. They make you conscious of wastage and help keep you in line with your financial goals.
- Go to at least one new place each year.
- Take pictures and make wonderful albums.
- Set your goals as a couple, as a family, and as a person.
- Design your everyday life to make it easier to fulfill your goals and dreams.
- Develop your spirituality.
- Find joy in the mundaneeveryday rituals.
- Enjoy the company of your children. Always remember they grow up fast.
- Be gorgeous.
I hope the above 25 of the tips will help you become an exciting homemaker. What else can you add? I’d like to hear from you too. 
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Learn about my story of how I transformed from being an investment banker to a full-time homemaker. What were the challenges I encountered? How did I face the stigma of “Housewife lang?” Join us in this interesting and personal story-filled episode!
(Songs Used: Whitney Houston – I’m Every Woman
Apo Hiking Society – Ewan, Apo Hiking Society – Panalangin)
For any questions and comments, e-mail us at antonfausto@gmail.com
Stream the episode now!
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6SirzFC0G0TQ7VAZiAbYWL?si=yfiQIwAnQTKKSsH5KTVkQw
Buzzsprout
Apple iTunes
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-dBagvuZk4
- Catch me as I give a talk o Financial Management for Metro.Style Office Tours! See you on March 18, 2019 (Monday), 10:00am-12:00nn at B1 Forum, globe Tower, BGC Taguig City.
- Thanks to those who already bought the FQ Book, especially to those who took the time out to send me their feedback. Your feedback is food for my soul. To those who have not gotten their copy yet, here’s a short preview of FQ: The nth Intelligence
You may now purchase the book in major bookstores, or if you want autographed copies, please go to FQ Mom FB page (click SHOP), or FQMom.com (click BOOKS), or email us at FQMomm@gmail.com - Want to know where your FQ stands? Take the FQ Test Challenge now! Click link. http://rebrand.ly/FQTest
Rose Fres Fausto is a speaker and author of bestselling books Raising Pinoy Boys and The Retelling of The Richest Man in Babylon (English and Filipino versions). Click this link to read samples – Books of FQ Mom. She is a Behavioral Economist, Certified Gallup Strengths Coach and the grand prize winner of the first Sinag Financial Literacy Digital Journalism Awards. Follow her on Facebook&YouTube as FQ Mom, and Twitter&Instagram as theFQMom. Her latest book is FQ: The nth Intelligence.
ATTRIBUTIONS: Photos from Wikimedia Commons and VectorStockmodified and used to help deliver the message of the article.
