Happy Housewives, By Darla Shine
10 golden rules for happy housewives
By Darla Shine
Article in Junior Magazine
Calling all stay-at-home mothers! It's time to stop apologising and feel proud of the great job you're doing, says Darla Shine.
"What do you do all day?” is the question all stay-at-home mothers dread. Here's how I would like to respond. “Hi, I'm Darla, full-time mother for now, but I used to be a television producer and one day, I plan to return to work.” Perhaps it would make me feel better if everyone knew I had a successful career before I became a stay-at-home mother. ..."
"...I couldn't cope at first. I hired cleaners, babysitters and recruited anyone and everyone to help me take care of my babies. My mother called me a spoilt lazy brat and tried to convince me that I was lucky to be in a position to look after my children. But I just ignored her. She was just a housewife anyway, what did she know about life?
The I got the ultimate wake-up call when I found a lump in my breast. Thinking I would die, deservingly so since I was such a rubbish mother, I prayed to God. I vowed never to take my life for granted again. I swore that if I survived, I would become the best mother and wife I could be. After all, is there anything more important than family? Thankfully, I did not have cancer, but that harmless cyst was certainly a gift.
It made me realise that I had to snap out of it. My mother was right. My generation don't know how lucky they are. The time has come for us to admit that feminists were wrong. There's too much pressure on women to have it all. Something has to give. It's either our career, children, marriage or sanity, but something has to go on the back burner. A couple of years ago, I attended a black-tie function with my husband. At this party, packed full of high-powered executives, I found that no one wanted to talk to me. One particularly rude woman actually turned her back on me after I told her I was at home with the children. Another lady had the gall to say, “How sweet” when I told her I was a housewife. I think the anger and frustration I felt that night forced me to prove myself. I wanted to show everyone that I was more than “just a stay-at-home.” But why did I feel this way? Clearly, the word 'housewife' has an negative stigma attached to it.
People seem to think stay-at-home women are slobs who spend the whole time slumped on the sofa, watching daytime TV, eating chocolates and wearing slouchy tracksuits and slippers. What a damaging cliché. Well, not any more. I say, lift up your spatulas girls and start demanding the respect you deserve with my definitive 10-point plan to help you become a happy housewife and mother... "
Read the 10-point plan here