BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids Homemaking

There is very new book out called "Radical Homemakers: Reclaiming Domesticity From a Consumer Culture" (by Shannon Hayes?). It's about women and men, with children and without, who are choosing a life not bent on consumerism but on social justice and making the world better - as homemakers.

It's somewhat similar to the simplicity movement (people cook from scratch, some garden, sew, pursue creative activities, volunteer, etc). I haven't read it as it is not yet available in my local bookstore, but I'm interested.

I'm interested as well. It sounds a bit like me. Although, I do work part time. I cook from scratch, make my own laundry detergent etc.

The author says homemaking was once associated with the wealthier people or the ultra-religious. This new look, as the author herself, is neither.

Child-free homemakers are rare around here and probably most places. I do some minor self-employment, but consider myself a homemaker.

Sounds like a great read. I'm a CF homemaker. I do have a job but it's from home so I have plenty of time to make dinner each night and pack a proper lunch for my husband and stuff. I don't see it as demeaning in any way, I love it. I also try to make everything from raw ingredients instead of processed junk and I use natural or organic things such as soaps and shampoos whenever possible, plus I have an organic garden. I try not to be a slave to consumerism but sometimes the tech geek in me wins. If I did have a kid in a parallel universe, they wouldn't be eating dinosaur-shaped pressed chicken, that's for sure. Oh my neighbor is a CF homemaker as well. She's on some sort of disability and also couldn't have kids rather than didn't want them, but she still counts as someone to relate in some ways to.

I worked 2 to 3 days a week during my working career as well as helping dh in our buisness (retired now). I grow a veggie garden, bake all my own bread, buns,and all baking products, maintain a huge yard as well. My number one job in life was always a 'domestic engineer' aka homemaker.

Never regretted not having a big time career.

cp

I'm a college student, so, I'm a CF homemaker as well..I enjoy baking, so, I am naturally inclined to make bread and stuff from scratch...I miss my veggie garden I had growing up, but, otherwise, I'm happy as a CF dog only homemaker.

Nice too see other CF homemakers/semi homemakers around. We need our own forum lol!

I teach some private music lessons, but my mother-in-law said to me the other day "Nowadays, women have to work!" (she never did) I don't know if she was judging me as not working because it's not full-time or not. As I talked about some volunteer work I was doing, she said "But that's VOLUNTARY!" I guess I can't talk to her.

My husband told her what a great cook I am. He's wonderful.

happyas2 ~ a good line for your MIL would be "different strokes for different folks".
She sounds like a real winner...NOT!

cp

Thank you. You cheered me up.

I'm laughing right now.