The emancipated woman

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WARNING! This may seem preachy...
Tonight when we were out at dinner I overheard a woman talking to what I assume are her parents about a class she is taking. She was saying that they read from an old book about what a wife should do for her husband when he gets home: tie a ribbon in your hair, turn down household noises, make the house comfortable because he probably had a harder day then you, etc. All those typical 1950s sitcom housewifey things. She was laughing because when the teacher asked the class if they wanted to be that kind of wife only 1 person raised their hand.
It just made me wonder...at what point did we, as women, decide that we couldn't play the role of the housewife? What's so wrong with it? By no means am I the perfect housewife, far from it. I'm pretty lazy on the whole. I expect (and like it) Eric to do the dishes. I am really bad at laundry. I don't like cooking. However, I love being at home when my son is done with school. I love putting my daughter for a nap. I love being here when Eric gets home with nothing to tell him except that it was a normal/fussy/crazy day. I love that Eric plays with the kids and helps around the house with some stuff. But, why can't I have both? At what point did society trick women into thinking fulfillment came from paychecks and a husband who doesn't expect a little bit of pampering? Can't we be partners and still have a relationship wherein I am the WIFE and he is the HUSBAND and head of the household? It's striking the balance.
I suppose if emancipation makes you happy, then I shouldn't tell you to change. But...my mind wonders what the crime rates and divorce rates were like when wives were trying to meet the stereotype. I wonder how many kids there were without dads and how many people were living in houses two sizes too big. I wonder how many kids were obese and how many saw their mom's get hit. I'm not blaming all the maladies in society on this one thing, don't get me wrong at all. But I do wonder if putting worth back in the word wife might go a long way to righting things.
I do think a woman is every bit as capable as a man to do "stuff". Be presidents, judges, doctors, and the like. My sissy is a rocket scientist for pete's sake! I also think that being a wife, mom, and woman is something to embrace not emancipate.


Comments

Lacey said…
Well said!

I believe there is a balance and that balance is different for every family. My mom got up at 5 every morning to cook breakfast for my dad. Good for her. I tried to do that for my husband when we were first married, but soon found out he doesn't eat breakfast, so now I get some much needed sleep. Good for me.
6:35 PM
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