Suzy Homemaker?
Posted by: TammyI was recently discussing my decision to put my career as a dental hygienist on the back burner in favor of my career in motherhood and homemaking. She listened and then said, “Yeah, but you’re still JUST a Suzy Homemaker.” I agreed and thought nothing of it.
Until later.
I decided to research Suzy Homemaker. I’ve heard the term before and it’s generally been directed towards me in a derogatory way but I just didn’t understand how or why. Suzy Homemaker was a doll designed in the 60′s that came with child-sized appliances. An online dictionary defined the term Suzy Homemakers as, “a housewife who manages a household, especially with enthusiasm; also, the sterotype of any woman who chooses a traditional female role or a personification of the quintessential female American housewife.”
Why do people feel the need to put me down for enthusiastically pursuing my job as a mom and homemaker? I was never put down when I enthusiastically pursuing my career in dental hygiene. Was it because there was more respect and money associated with that job? When did our culture begin to lose respect for homemakers? When did it become an insult to call someone a “Suzy Homemaker”?
- Tags: homemaker, Suzy Homemaker
June 21st, 2011 at 4:52 pm
I know the feeling. I have some friends that call me Suzy Homemaker but in a nice way. I enjoy being a stay at home wife/mom. My husband would tell anybody who’d listen how much he likes coming home to a clean house, supper on the table, kids taken care of, etc. Maybe they are just jealous of you and really wish they could be in your shoes : )
June 26th, 2011 at 8:58 pm
Dayna, I know that my husband is proud of all I do and my boys love having me there for them when they come home. I DO think that a fair number of people aren’t aware of just how demanding our jobs at home are. Many sahp (parents as there are more and more men doing this, too! WOOHOO) have made personal sacrifices to be home and in all honestly, some people don’t want to make those sacrifices. I know that a lot of people would rather work full-time to buy $350 a week in food rather than learning to stretch $100/wk in groceries (through canning, baking, scratch cooking and gardening) and working only part-time.
It’s just nice knowing that there are more Suzy Homemakers out there!!! thanks for the reply and support!