Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
Women vary in how they coordinate their lives around their children. Some women stay home with their children. These women are called “stay-at-home mothers,” or “homemakers” and sometimes “housewives,” although that is an outdated term. Being a stay-at-home mom is very hard work.
Other women want to pursue a career in addition to having children. Often, after staying home with a baby for a couple of years, a mother wants a change of scenery. Or perhaps she wants to return to a career that she left to have kids. When women have jobs in addition to raising children, you say she “works outside the home.”
It is becoming more common for men to stay home with the kids. They are sometimes called “house husbands.” The picture for this lesson is from an old movie called Mr. Mom, which was based on that concept.
In the dialog below, Amanda and Mason pretend that they are married. Listen as Amanda asks her “husband” about going back to work.
Dialog
1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.
2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.
Amanda: OK, so honey, I have this huge dilemma and my heart is absolutely torn up about it.
Mason: Is it really?
Amanda: It is.
Mason: OK.
Amanda: So for three years, you know, I’ve been staying home with the baby. I’ve been letting you do your thing out there.
Mason: Yeah.
Amanda: Um, climbing the ladder.
Mason: It’s been good. I’ve definitely been able to bring home a lot of bread and bacon.
Amanda: Absolutely. Bread and bacon...
Mason: For all those bread and bacon sandwiches that we ate.
Amanda: Little bit of… Oh, like you’re having right now for dinner. Anyway, um, let’s pull it back in.
Mason: OK.
Amanda: OK, Honey? This is serious.
Mason: I’m sorry. I… You know how I like to make light of tough situations.
Amanda: I think it’s time for me to go back to work. What are your thoughts?
Mason: What’s gonna happen with the child? Who’s gonna take care of it?
Amanda: Well, that’s something that we need to talk about. There’s day care. There’s an in-home nanny. There’s you sacrificing your career and staying home.
Mason: Uh huh. Have you thought about the financial realities of this decision?
Amanda: I have.
Mason: What about the emotional impact on our child. You know he’s grown so much dependent on you.
Amanda: I told you my heart was torn up about it.
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Discussion
Amanda is trying to be serious with Mason, but he keeps joking around. By the end of the conversation, they are both being pretty sarcastic.
Amanda has one son. She is ready to go back to work. But who will take care of the child while she is working? This is an issue many parents face when they both work.
Is it common for mothers to work outside the home in your country?
Comments
Saudi Arabia |
India |
Brazil |
Mexico |
United States |