Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Stepford

I'm sure you've seen or at least heard of the movie The Stepford Wives. There are actually two movies - the first made in 1975 and the second in 2004. I've never seen the first, but I did see the one with Nicole Kidman and The Divine Miss M (Bette Midler).


If you have no idea what I'm talking about, the premise is that in a little community called Stepford, the men somehow make their successful, type A wives into sniveling, always obedient wives. A man's perfect world, it seems. Then Nicole Kidman kicks @$$ and, with her husband who actually appreciates a smart woman, they save the robotic women who then turn the tables on their husbands.

But as I thought about the movie, I thought, as a stay at home wife and mother, sometimes I wish I was like these Stepford wives. Not in the mechanical, nonsensical way, of course not.

But I wish my house were always immaculate and I had the time and energy to keep my counters spotless, my carpet clean and the dishes and laundry in a constant state of "done." I wish I had the drive to always be playing with my kids, teaching them, molding them into self-sufficient people. I sometimes even wish I were perpetually interested in what my husband was saying and could pay him constant attention when he was home and not mind when he comes home late. Dinner would always be home cooked and nutritious without ever opening a can of something. Activities would be wholesome and I would be running along the sidelines cheering my child on instead of sitting in a chair.
Not to mention that my hair, nails and make-up would always be perfect and I'd always be stylishly and classically dressed in pretty clothes. That sounds good.

That would be nice. On one level, I want to do that for my family (most days). It's not very practical and definitely not likely, but the idea is there.

On the flip side, I don't want be a robot. And what fun is life if everything is already done and you have no opinion of your own? And I'll be honest here - I expect my husband to do his fair share of the household chores like dishes and taking out the trash. Much like Matthew Broderick's character, I think most men would find a women who is only stimulating in one area and not intellectually or spiritually to be pretty boring after a while. I mean, that's why men don't marry bimbos (or at least don't stay married to them very long), right?
I like being an intelligent and educated woman. My husband wouldn't handle sniveling very well. We have deep conversations about many different things - from family and faith to how to prepare the perfect meatloaf. Yes, we discuss meatloaf - intelligently (and for the record, he adores my meatloaf, everybody does).

I don't know what the point to this post is. I guess how to find a happy medium between Stepford and...well, whatever the anti-Stepford is (educated but a slob, maybe?). I'd like a happy medium while still having that perfect look, though. Hmmm, things to ponder.

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