I knew one friend who decorated like this when her kids were young and she homeschooled for awhile. Gray walls, white floors, pale blue carpet. It was very pretty but also felt very cold and performative though she wasn't vlogging. I always worried my full color kids would ruin or stain something at her house when we visited.

I completely agree. Thanks for the book rec. Regarding the performative element, yesterday I was harboring dark thoughts about the future for these families when the pendulum swings or some new form of marketing takes off, will their marriages take the strain? Or will there arise a new online trend of #formertrads with indignant, tell-all memoirs? Or when their children reach adulthood and start attending the "I was a sad beige baby with everything to live for" support groups?

More walking and videos, which feels good. Something is better than nothing.

I couldn't decide whether to like your post or send you a sad face for your mom, but good for her, long ago.

Lest anyone think I follow them, I really don't! Just trad-curious or maybe a peeping Matilda.... Yes. They match their gray and white linen mommies. I'm grateful for the women of this board with whom I can share a laugh about a phenomenon that many of us would be considered to be a part of if we weren't so skeptical🧐

Or took sedatives if they were not.

Exactly.

Ok I have a confession: I have a secret morbid fascination with the trad wife instagram aesthetic. Mmmm, all that soft gray linen! Seriously though, all the full time and/or homeschooling moms I know, myself included, made a choice to stay home and/or homeschool. Did the online tradwives' husbands make them stay home and become influencers? I'm in a pretty traditional-looking marriage by choice and I'm irritated that these people are claiming this lifestyle as an aesthetic. There's a lot of interesting critique of the tradwives but what really strikes me is their very feminist-seeming self-promotion.

Thinking about brining ds Gently, a shower and new clothes will usually do the trick.

Wow.

Yes, I am so glad! Thank you. Thanks for this, I hadn't done it with my olders but I think I will do now.

DD is wicked homesick and lonely. She has a sweetheart at home that dh and I love but I do think the texting and face timing is getting in the way of dd being present to the options available to her that might take her mind off home. She doesn't party so also "misses out" on all the bonding that sadly goes along with drinking and smoking pot every weekend 😔.

Yup.

Mathphobe dd had three great years with Mr. Henderson there.

Nothing today, feeling like a slug. I have made about 40 meals and 6 quarts of three different kinds of soup plus polenta, baked oatmeal, and 10 bags of roasted veggies for my mother's freezer, does that count?? 🏋️‍♀️

Nailed it.

I didn't either. I have it here in quotes and I realize that some may be offended - I wanted to discuss it and that phrasing is how it's being tagged online. I never watched the Duggars or followed that world, other than way back in the day, getting a homeschool supply catalog - printed on paper, though the mail! - from a family maybe in Seattle who I am embarrassed to say I've forgotten the name of.

I appreciate this. I wouldn't have thought anything about this except for watching a video that is a split screen - goes back and forth between Mrs. Britt using an assertive voice and the speech she made the other night. @prairiewindmommacalls this code switching and that makes sense. I have a really quiet voice and I sometimes say some obnoxious, sarcastic things. It's never occurred to me that might be odd for listeners, as I hear my voice in a consistent way inside my head, if that makes sense.

I will link to this blog with respect for her courage https://tialevings.substack.com/p/fundie-baby-voice-isnt-what-we-called She's responding to this author and others: https://jesspiper.substack.com/p/the-fundie-baby-voice

I don't know anyone who speaks like this but I've read that it's triggering to some people who grew up with it. For those of you who are personally familiar, do you relate? Or is it comforting? I'm also curious about how this pattern is taught - do you remember conversations about it? Do you ask your daughters to speak this way?

February finished happily with many goals achieved. March arrived at my mother's house with some challenges: her spinal arthritis flared on the second day I was here and so she's almost unable to walk or do most things. I'm here for one more week so will start the weeks goals right here right now. This week I will meal prep a whole months worth of dinners plus some soups. I will rearrange her pantry, freezer, and shelves for better access. I already fixed her files and made a new curtain for her med cabinet, and took off the awkward door. I'm doing committee work online and will make some appointments to look at some archives via email. I'm walking every day and bought some weights for arms workouts, which are fun. Chop wood, carry water.

I have a slight lisp and a very quiet voice that gets quieter as people ask me to speak up, and as a result I hate public speaking...I just signed up to do a one hour presentation on my research this summer. Ugh, why?? Anyhow, I will tell you about overcoming an inhibition next fall 🙂

More walking more weights.

Walking and weights videos the last few days.

I did 4 or 5 miles walking today and yesterday plus an arms workout both days. I'm so cranky I can barely stand myself. I can't figure out how to kick down.