The critique grows out of the basic assumption that women perform three roles - the
productive, reproductive and the consumer. It has been customary to speak about the
"double burden," of women, setting the work role against the domestic role. However,
when the child bearing and rearing role is merged with the consumer, role under the
rubric of "housewife" or domestic role, certain critical differences in the nature and
duration of the two tasks are blurred. On the one hand, the periods of child-bearing and
child rearing are limited, yet fixed by factors beyond a woman's control, while
housekeeping is a permanent and ongoing feature. On the other hand specific
housekeeping tasks may be postponed, avoided or delegated, while the child requires
continuing attention and cannot be treated in the same way. So separating the two into
three roles' offers greater clarity of definition.