I have a sister who has been a full-time homemaker/mother for at least the past 10 years. She's had odd part-time jobs here and there.

Her 2 adult children are 25 & 23. 23 yr. son is living at home but will move out soon later this year when he does his Master's degree. 25-yr. daughter has her own full-time career and lives in her own apt. with boyfriend for last 2 yrs. somewhere else in their city.

My sister, up to this time does not have the responsibility of frail parents (yet), unlike Dotsie. Nor does she have any grandchildren. I am not aware of her being involved in volunteer work at this time.

There have been disagreements between her and 2 other sisters who are both also mothers, 1 sister married with 3 children ages 12-8 and another sister married with 2 children, newborn baby and 2 yr. Each sister have chosen to keep their jobs. Mother of 3 is working full-time and mother of 2, in only short maternity leave because she is the primary breadwinner with the higher income (doctor v. her hubby who is a cook) therefore she MUST work to bring in money long-term. Doctor-sister drives 100 kms. one way to get to her hospital where her job is. Both sisters, as you can imagine, have worked out complicated schedules for child care (blend of some daycare, plus an in-law parent helping out, etc.).

Both sisters are stressed and get ticked off/angry when full-time homemaker sister says she is "busy" and can not help out with our aging parents. Both mothers did stay at home during their maternity leaves, so they aren't clueless what needs to be done at home.

For myself, as a sister living 4,000 kms. away, I can only listening sympthetically ..in all honesty..to the stressed out mother-sisters who are juggling their paid jobs. Because my father will become sicker with his cancer and my mother is aging, etc. but need to be accompanied to doctor-specialists, etc.

I saw this upfront when I visited family (each sister) for a few days.

It didn't escape me that full-time homemaker sister with 1 adult child at home, has a cleaner, tidier house. She does have more relaxed day schedule compared to 15 yrs. ago when children were younger. What parent would have a gorgeous neat home with young children running around unless they had a nanny/housekeeper also or slept very little in order to clean the house?

Perhaps I have said some sensitive things now.