Diary Of A 50s Housewife

Shocked at the rise of the domestic ‘tradwife’, writer Clare O’Reilly challenged herself to step back in time for a week

- Clare O’reilly

Google ‘tradwife’ and you get thousands of hits, or search the hashtag on social media and you can while away hours looking at images of supposed perfection. Tradwives are a movement of wives and girlfriends who promote ultra-traditional gender roles. Think husband in his chair with the paper, while wife, in a dress, cooks, cleans and tends to his every whim.

Frankly, the thought makes me feel I imagined the 50-year fight for gender equality, yet there are growing numbers of women eschewing work and financial independence to look after their husbands.

Jon and I married in 2006 and I’ve been anything but traditional. I’m in charge of the finances, we share the parenting of our kids, Eddie, 15, Sammy, 11, and Annie, eight, and the last time I wore make-up at home was when it was still on the morning after a night out. But, intrigued, I spent the week as a ‘tradwife’, much to Jon’s amusement…

MONDAY

Day One, and instead of preparing for the important work meeting that has been on my mind, I’m doing the ironing with a fresh face of make-up when Jon ambles downstairs at 7 am. The coffee is in the pot, cereal on the table and I’m enjoying the fact I’ve sorted everything and am ahead of the game. The appeal is lost when I start to vacuum as Jon heads to work, but I love cooking so making dinner isn’t a chore. Annie, our eight-year-old, is confused by the fact I’m dressed nicely but no one complains when I tell them they don’t have to clean up after dinner. I have an early night and fall asleep pondering the fact I’ve actually enjoyed today.

TUESDAY