Comments on: On Being a Radical Homemaker

By: Tomato Fest 2011 | The Laughing Monkey

Tomato Fest 2011 | The Laughing Monkey — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:08:11 +0000

[...] Also on my mind lately is worm composting, vegetable gardening, chickens, and beekeeping. I’m loving this video on “Backwards Beeekeeping.” All of this inspired by the book The Urban Homestead by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen. I first read about Kelly and Erik in the book Radical Homemakers. [...]

By: Lucy @ dreamingaloudnet

Lucy @ dreamingaloudnet — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 20:55:51 +0000

Hi, saw you were into Radical Homemakers too. Do come and visit my Radical Homemaker’s week over at Dreaming Aloud…

http://dreamingaloudnet.blogspot.com/2011/01/radical-homemaking-week-1-beyond.html

By: Toolie

Toolie — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:10:03 +0000

This book has been in my amazon shopping cart since you first told me about it….along with a few others…and it is time to buy. I am so inspired and comforted that this homemaking revolution is taking place…we can only hope these concepts spread like fire. I love my job, even though it rips me to my core some days, and wouldnt change being the radical homemaker of our house for anything! I look forward to the opportunity at some “mayoral” event being asked what I do so I can follow your lead and proudly say…”I am a radical homemaker” because, well, I AM!

By: Sharilyn

Sharilyn — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 19:50:55 +0000

Thank you for this post. It seems like I feel this guilt or I question my “lack of ambition” on a often, because I have made the choice to stay at home full time and raise my child. Doing exactly that is what my gut tells me is right (to be with my child full time) but society and my own stupid insecurities sometimes belittle my choice, that somehow this is less valid then being a career woman.

I live in a university neighbourhood, and am surrounded with academic mothers, most of whom I think – although supportive in their own rights – must think that I am some sort of alien. I’ve had the “it doesn’t bother you that you are a slave?” comments more than a few times. Funny that, that to raise YOUR own children, take care of YOUR home and family, and handle YOUR own responsibilities equates being a slave to many(??). Have we come that far as women – as a people – that to take care of yourself equates slavery?

Most of my working mother friends pay for their own maids, nannies, gardeners, and groceries delivered to the door. Yet most of them seem completely frazzled and stressed with their lives. AND, i must add. Many don’t work because they need the money but -and I quote – because they want to prove to their (very young) children that “women can do more than that”. One woman told me that “the worst decision she made in her entire life” was taking her 3 year old out of daycare to be home with her full time when she had another baby. This made me feel so sad. So many belittle the raising of children and home, yet struggle and can’t step up or handle it themselves when it comes to it.

I have been referred to by some of these women as a slave – when they see me gardening MY garden, cooking OUR dinner, cleaning OUR house, doing MY laundry, or simply spending an afternoon with MY daughter in the sun. But I will never feel like a slave for taking care of myself and for taking responsibility for my own CHOICES in life. But the ironic thing is, that I see these women as slaves – for I am not the one who is burnt out and miserable. I am the one who is happy. It makes me kind of giggle at the irony.

Ok, total rant, I know it. I can’t even read it over well because the comment box isn’t meant for essays. So I hope that I have made even a little bit of sense. I am always mulling this issue over in my brain and that book has been in my amazon cart for way too long. Maybe today is the day I will order it for myself, and keep it on my table in full view for the world to see :)

Thanks again!

By: MamaBird

MamaBird — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 12:54:46 +0000

Guess I gotta get me a copy too. Not sure I can wait to borrow it… and my “Rose Library” is already pretty full.

By: kate

kate — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 02:27:20 +0000

yes,me too on the buying book wagon… if only amazon would pay you. but. then. oh, damn. irony hits again.

heehee.

By: ayelen

ayelen — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:57:58 +0000

preach it! you’ve got one of the toughest, most important jobs in the world – and you’re doin a damn good job at it!

By: Islay

Islay — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:54:21 +0000

I’ve been debating getting that book – looks like it might be worth it!

By: kangaroo

kangaroo — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:02:49 +0000

I love it. I am going TOMORROW to buy a copy. Thank you so much.