Ramblings Of An Unapologetic Non-Feminist

I was born in the wrong decade. This is not news to anyone who knows me well. When I was little, I wanted to be a wife and mom.  That was it.  No doctor, lawyer or God forbid - president of the United States. I wanted to wear dresses all the time - still do.  I loved everything girly and had little or no interest in being given the same "privileges" that the boys got. Gym class? No thanks.  The right to try out for the varsity football team? I think not.  Having a job to go to every afternoon so that I could pay my own way on dates?  Nope, not interested.  I'd rather just go to the malt shop after school with my girlfriends where we will giggle,squeal and talk about the boys we like.  Work on that AP homework so that I can get into a good college?  To what end?  I certainly didn't need that to get MY dream job. Though maybe I would go to college for a year or so.  Take a couple of "girly"courses and meet my future husband.

I am sorry if I have horrified any of you.  I am happy you all had the rights to do what you wanted. It just hasn't worked out that great for me.  Sure SOME things are fantastic.  Obviously I am glad to have the right to vote.  I am thankful that girls are allowed as much education as they want. I think it's great that I CAN wear jeans without being stared at.  As the mother of three daughters I am happy with all of the freedoms they are allowed.

But here's the thing, I don't really think we have EVERY freedom. We are allowed the freedom to move "forward".  We can have careers AND a family.  Or just a career, if we would rather.  But the freedom to be "just" a mom and housewife?  Not so much.  (Yes, I used the word housewife.  No, it does not offend me.  I do not think it sounds as if I am married to the house.)  In today's world it is VERY hard to have the ability to be home taking care of the house, kids and husband.  Somewhere along the way, we lost the ability to live comfortably on one income per family.  When we got the "right" to work outside of the home it didn't take long for women to NEED to work outside of the home.  Bummer....

I myself am a wife, mother, part time preschool teacher and child care provider. I am also currently learning how to sew in the hopes of having some sort of business of my own that I can do from home.  And still money is tight.  Trying to stay home with my kids at least until kindergarten has been a struggle.  My husband tells me that I work harder doing all these jobs together than I would if I just had one full time job.  Probably.  But I am just not ready to give up on MY American Dream yet.

If I am going to be honest, I probably don't want to be a 1950's housewife.  I want to be a TV sitcom 1950's housewife.  I want to stay home with the kids and take care of the house - except not really.  The kids, yes.  I'll have that covered.  But somehow those television wives of days gone by also got a cleaning lady. Which is FANTASTIC!! I HATE housework.  I know, right?  This doesn't fit into my self proclaimed dream of being a housewife. (That's right, I said it again!)  But it DOES, if you watch all of the old shows.  I will straighten up the house, cook, and do the dishes.  I'll know how to sew my own curtains and frilly little throw pillows.  But while I am off volunteering and serving on my various committees, some happy, bubbly little cleaning dynamo will be scrubbing my toilets and dusting my children's rooms.  I will of course, get up early so that my husband has an attractive, wide awake wife bringing him his coffee in bed and starting his shower for him.  Are you kidding me?  If I didn't have to do all of the cleaning and struggling to make ends meet - IMAGINE how much perkier I would be!

So yes, my dream is flawed.  I know that medical advances and technology is way better now, blah blah blah.  However, that is not what this blog is about.  It is about me trying to be a 1950's wife in the year 2012.  As I try to learn to cook, sew, become a better housewife (have you stopped cringing when I say that yet??) and most importantly raise a family with "old school" morals, values and happiness. (Insert laugh track here.)  Follow my blog as I try to follow my dream - to be Donna Reed.