I Want To Be A Mother And A Housewife

For centuries, women were relegated to a very little valued place in society. It was thought that it should be oblivious to public affairs, since its natural space was the private sphere, basically the home. The destiny of almost all of them was to be a mother, a wife and a housewife without having any kind of recognition for it.

One of the great demands of the women’s liberation movement was precisely to demand equal opportunities to access the world of work and, therefore, of economic, political and social power. For several decades, the goal of many women was to prove that they were as capable as men to perform many of the tasks that until then were considered exclusively male.

Fortunately, this change has had effects and today we have female presidents, top executives, Nobel laureates, etc. But, above all, we have women who are convinced that they can contribute a lot to society and have a great desire to do so.

However, this race for equality has also generated what could be called “some collateral damage”. Exercising femininity has become a confusing affair. Living motherhood, the true summit of the feminine, seems like an impossible mission that must be carried out quickly, at times and, many times, as a non-priority activity on the agenda.

Although many women seem satisfied and even enthusiastic about the new rules of the game, there are also so many other women in the world who do not feel completely comfortable with this situation. In fact, the statement “I want to be a mother and a housewife” can be quite criticized and even offensive, in a world that now demands an economically productive woman with a high consumption capacity.

The desire to be a mother and a homemaker

Not all women who work and pay their expenses are free, nor are all housewives who depend financially on their partner are slaves. At this point in the 21st century, only the most obtuse or ignorant men would dare to say that women do not have the same job skills as men. So the matter is no longer mediated so much by a prejudice, but by a philosophy of life.

Although there are fathers and mothers around the world who are very aware of their role and try to offer quality upbringing, the truth is that children are the great victims in the new family model that has been imposed : the father model. and mother workers, with little time to dedicate to them. Hence, currently a new group of men and women who are in favor of a more traditional upbringing has been appearing in the world.

There are women who want to experience motherhood fully. They do not want to have a baby to be left in a nursery a few months old. They want to be involved in children’s early development and ensure that they are receiving the most appropriate care and education. However, only very few can really step forward in that purpose.

The situation has been reversed and few couples can afford to live and support children without both partners working. Society has gone from mostly considering that women were better off at home to not allowing this to happen.

Machismo or a way to exercise femininity?

That a woman wants to stay at home, taking care of her children and taking care of housework can be seen as a great setback, especially by the most radical sectors. There are those who could understand this desire as a return to the past, or as complacency with the macho vision of the world. However, it is necessary to ask a question: must the desires of all women necessarily be uniform?

In reality, the most problematic aspect of that aspiration is the economic vulnerability in which it can leave the woman. If she does not have her own financial resources, this can create undesirable dependencies or significant limitations. So, in principle, the decision to be a mother and a housewife passes through an agreement with the couple or with the family.

Basically, the couple must agree on the importance of the mother’s presence in the home and the sacrifices that this implies: that the man assumes the responsibility of generating income and that the woman concentrates on raising the children and the good running of the house. Obviously it can also be the other way around.

Surely the foundation of an agreement like this is the conviction that this family model is more enriching for everyone, not the prejudice that women are incapable of being active at work. Part of the recognition of housework and understanding that within them the person can also be performed.

Without a doubt, it is a decision that requires communication and good will from both parties. Also conviction, since it implies limitations and responsibilities that are difficult for both to assume. Whatever the case, the important thing is to emphasize that this option exists and that it is as legitimate as that of those who decide to work outside the home. There are many ways to exercise femininity and reducing them is losing its meaning and its richness.