The Tradwife Movement is Making You Unhappy

[@WithLoveKristina]

And just to clarify: you can absolutely enjoy pretty dresses, makeup, doing your hair, etc, and be a good homemaker with a tidy home! But we must recognize that the ultra-glamorous, gourmet-cooking-from-scratch, perfectly-filmed mega-popular accounts often have a team behind them making it all happen, and that level of spotless perfection is simply not attainable every day, especially with lots of young children around! And that's okay!

[@ashleyemma4954]

Well said ❤

[@hiddenhand6973]

And zero help or support from family for a lot of us 😫 many of those influencers have family and if they had trust funds, you’d never be told as much.

[@AnaColon-ze4ze]

I love this Era an I have my house pretty much furnished wit 1950's furniture , Antiques , Etc.etc. I need 2 get 7 or so everydae dresses so I kan wear them wen I do my Chores an Kleanin..❤❤😊😊❤❤😊😊❤❤😊😊

[@sweetkentuckymama7710]

This is so true

[@sofiabravo1994]

Even if some do it all themselves then good for them my value and identity is not set on my lack of skill set, my worth comes from Jesus Christ ❤

[@MaryWalsh-ux6oj]

Let me preface my comment with an apology that it is so long. I am a 74 year old woman who currently has tears coursing down my cheeks. Watching your videos brings back so many memories of my childhood in a small farmhouse. Today after watching your video, I sent a silent prayer to my mother (wherever she is.)"Mom, I am sorry I did not do more to make your life even just a tiny bit easier." As a '50s working mother, her life was so hard, and she was so unappreciated and invisible) to her children and her husband. The vision of you working hard in your kitchen reminds me so much of my mother. And it is uncanny how much you resemble her when she was young. (You both have that Snow White coloring (with the fair skin and dark hair) the same voluptuous body type, and I swear the two of you must have had some of the same dresses!) My mother died when I was 20 and after all these many years I still miss her. Watching you is like having a second chance to have my mother again in my life. And when you spoke of finding the blessings amidst the "daily drudgery," it hit me like a slap of reality in the face. I remember my mother buying school shoes for my brother and myself and then coming home and making cardboard insoles for HER shoes. (She wrote the book on sacrifice. There is an old saying: "It is not apparent until you ARE a parent." You, Kristina are an example of the reason God chooses resilient women to become mothers! As an aside, you making watermelon pickles reminds me of the time that my brother decided to run away from home. He got just as far as our old empty chicken house (where my mother had a bunch of watermelon pickles stored.) My brother ate a couple of jars of watermelon pickles and then decided that home wasn't so bad after all! Thank you SO much for a lovely video!

[@rozann9223]

Thank you for this beautiful memory of your mom….i am crying with you…i miss my mom so much sometimes….thank you again for your precious words…♥️😭♥️

[@tisa6]

❤❤❤ this comment! Miss my Mom terribly too!

[@courtney1709]

Same…I miss my mom every single day.😢❤

[@lauracgc]

Love this. Thank you for sharing

[@tabiulfi7320]

What a story! 😢 wonderful and sad the same time ❤ Sending much love to you ❤

[@kathleenmcgovern9659]

What in heck is a trad wife anyway? It's just some 2024 idea, that's all. I was born in the mid-1950s, and I remember the music, the styles, the foods, the TV shows, etc.,etc. etc. I also remember how hard my mom worked and other moms in the neighborhood. A lot of the women actually had jobs to make ends meet. This trad wife thing is just somebody's fantasy. I love your videos. They are beautiful and real. Your kids are so cute. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@agodlyhome]

People in the 50s had a lot of kids and were poor. At least in my area. This is what gram told me. Anyhow, they didn't have perfect outfits, they worked hard, their homes needed repairs, and were lived in. She said they got up everyday and put on old work clothes and worked hard then cleaned up and put on better clothes before their husband got home from work. They did cook 3 meals a day but some were very simple frugal meals. You do a great job ❤

[@shannong7556]

Yes people now have no idea about indoor frozen pipes going from the kitchen to the upstairs added on bathroom or the roll up washing machine or hanging clothes out that froze in the winter and then ironing my father’s handkerchiefs and shirts for work. Breakfast for supper, spaghetti on Wednesday, fish on Friday and chocolate cake on Sunday. Week after week.

[@agodlyhome]

@@shannong7556 and baked beans on Saturday night. 😁

[@thevillainofthisstory]

"mess is morally neutral" YES I really needed to hear that, thank you for putting it into words. Also, that yellow skirt is STUNNING 💛

[@HappyMarriedTradWife]

The truth is these so called Tradwives are just acting..they aren’t real! Coming from generations of homemakers..there are a lot of day to day struggles. I appreciate your content and you representing us true traditionally homemakers. ❤

[@JohnTheRevelator11]

Exactly. They aren’t trad wives. They make money from influencing and that alone puts their focus outside of the home

[@claremiller9979]

Many of them are actually Mormons and what they are doing, very disingenuously, is pushing their warped ideas through social media. It's all bull, frankly, and it's wonderful that creators like Kristina show what real like is like without any agenda except to help us.

[@KimberlieOtt]

Stepford Wives.......

[@ruthlloyd1163]

I was raised in the 60s and the stay at home mom was not in a poufy dress with heels and pearls. A lot wore pull on pants, or a comfy shift dress with flats or barefoot in the house. Babies are messy. We were sent outside to play much more than kids are today.

[@aussiejubes]

Yep lol. That's how you keep the house clean! Kids outside all day! I was born in 79 but if I wasn't reading (my parents loved that I read so much) I was expected to be outside for a lot of the day. I was an only child so I didn't have to stay out all day, but I did have to go outside every single day unless it was raining. I could come in for a drink or lunch or something, but had to spend hours outside lol. I didn't usually mind. I just wandered around my country town, hung out at the park, rode my bike, played with the dog, jumped on the tramp, found creeks & tadpoles etc. Mum got peace & quiet to clean & then enjoy the clean. Also she was a really angry cleaner so I didn't want to be there when she was on a cleaning bender anyway 😂

[@lynndurham473]

Oh my goodness!!! My heart just filled with joy when you bathed your sweet baby in the kitchen sink. What a vision of HOME.

[@shelleymcginty9995]

I have a couple of comments that are really weighing on my heart. Firstly, the whole reason I love and watch your channel is because of how real you are. I love the beauty and the gentleness of your realness. Secondly, as a 52-year-old, empty Nester, I can promise you something. I promise you that you will never ever ever regret the time spent raising your children even with the mess. I never thought in 1 million years that one of the things I would miss would be the mass. My house stays clean all the time, well, I guess not when I have my grandchildren lol I miss the sound of chaos in my house. My house is so quiet. You are doing a wonderful job and keep being real and keep making your videos. With love, Shelley.

[@christyrussell7872]

I so appreciate your message of being real and understanding the need for a non apologetic life style of simplicity. I thank you for this video, in fact Im a 65 yr old women with my own issues that i grapple with and keeping my home tidy and order. Your videos bring a sense of calm to my mind. I appreciate you very much. Thank you.

[@samanthagillette1483]

This is why you are hands down one of my favorite content creators on KZbin. I am a full time working mom of a disabled toddler and my home will never look what is presented in tradwife content no matter how badly I would like it to. There's only so many hours in the day, and my body can only do so much. I love that you make realistic content, it is so important for people to see beyond the picture perfect pristine minimalistic staged content that is all over social media.

[@beverlystauffer2489]

Your children will not remember the mess. They will remember your loving presence.

[@vaiciciaku]

Love your calm way of speaking, makes me relax

[@brendabelcher3197]

My home has always been in one of 2 states. Totally clean and organized and a total disaster. I was an RN, had 5 kids and was always struggling to keep up with everyones needs. Now kids are grown and I'm retired and would rather engage in my hobbies than have a perfect house. Haven't made my bed in 10 months, but I have made 7 quilts and perfected a cheesy bread recipe.

[@quoteme.goddess6957]

❤

[@moldovanca]

Don’t mind me, just sobbing on my couch in my tiny ass apartment; partly because I wish I could live in a house like yours, have a yard to let my kids roam in, and partly because your words are so important and meaningful to me. I’m in my first trimester with our second and I feel the worst I’ve ever felt because I still have all the responsibility of taking care of our first while feeling absolutely awful. So these days the counter doesn’t get a daily wipe, my son doesn’t get a daily trip to the park (we live in a very urban area with no greenery) and each day I feel grateful I survived but guilty about everything I couldn’t do. So thank you for sharing and being so vulnerable. I can’t wait to see more.

[@gaudiaudi]

Gosh I remember being in this position. I had the worst pregnancies too, and I remember my 2 year old standing next to me asking if I was ok while I threw up. Those days were not easy. But I look at my little ones now and I'm so grateful for them. I never have enough time but I try. This is motherhood ❤

[@MarySamios]

Please remember that you are enough just as you are. And that you are providing your family the most important things just by being you -- your love and care. No matter where you are in life, you are enough, and you are loved.

[@LindaByrnes-n6s]

I live in an apartment as well and envy every friend I have that has a yard. Don't be so hard on yourself.

[@ashleighsparkle8810]

I’m a mom of 3. Your kids just want you. Don’t worry about the frills.

[@RLS4jesus]

Praying things have balanced out for you. 🙏

[@sylviak9808]

Had not heard about Tradwives yet and never liked overly sterile and unnatural perfectly clean environment videos. I would always prefer videos such as yours. Real life videos with obviously loved and happy family members. It is so much nicer to see you clean a kitchen which really has been lived in with cooking and children and making PB&J sandwiches than the previously mentioned environments. Keep up these wholesome videos!

[@chavaspropheticlife]

This is the most beautiful and realistic video I believe I have ever seen on KZbin… I highly respect your decision to share your story in such a realistic manner. Great content and very refreshing!❤

[@Lisa-ee5ev]

Until you expounded on "there is bless in the mess," (to which I immediately replied to myself "no there's not") I must admit that I never looked at "the mess" that way (a table full of dishes means a family ate and shared together, etc.) Instead of sighing and mustering strength to clean up "the mess," I will try to view it as what a blessing we had enough food to cook, time to eat it, and be together. Thank you for a different, positive perspective. (P.S. you work really hard every day; I'm amazed at how much you do.)

[@rachelcurit7504]

This is the attitude I try to take when toys are all over the living room. I have a thriving, vibrant child who is healthy enough to play with his toys. 💚

[@Userinterfaceexperience]

This is the difference between a “lived in” home that’s welcoming vs. a house people feel unwelcome in because they are afraid to ruin something.

[@sanctuaryrain2010]

@Lisa-ee5ev Yes, it is a better way of looking at things, those days pass by quickly. Now there is only one (myself) at the table or at my desk while I am working on something. When we get much older those days are just memories and it's wonderful blessing to have them.

[@brittanyfehlings6838]

Thank you for making this. I was getting discouraged- so many of the homesteaders have everything you could dream of, all shiny and brand new, everything perfect, it made it feel like the my dream was getting pushed further away from what I could actually afford/manage. It's nice to see something real💙

[@maureenhebert7673]

First, let me say, the fact you have 5 children blows my mind! You are so blessed. The fact you have 5 children and you’re dressed beautifully with hair and makeup done? Inspires me. You’re my hero! I love your channel because you are so down to earth and make me feel better about not achieving a perfect home. My home is clean enough to be healthy and messy enough to be comfortable and it’s only my husband and I. Our kids are all grown and in their own lives. You’d think I’d have an immaculate home!. Hell no, I’m retired and love to read, knit, quilt and watch these inspiring videos and cook and bake for our family and friends. My husband and I love to travel and enjoy our days together and apart. Housework is last on my list.although I love the smell of clean laundry so that’s a chore I regularly do. It may also be my preference because the laundry area is within my sewing studio. ‘ A clean house is a sign of a broken sewing machine” in my world. Keep up your great work and messages. We all need it.

[@raneemilliman7130]

I was born in the 50's and my mom, while looking nice and neat, did not "dress up" for her day by day life. I also know that she utilized the help of her family. Her father often came to town for groceries etc. and would stop in at our house. He would bring baked goods to have with tea, by my mom's request, rather than her having to go to the bakery herself. I know I was expected to clean up my messes and pick up my toys and put them away in my room. I also learned how to make my bed at an early age. Granted it wasn't perfect and took me ages to accomplish but it got better with age. I also learned to set the table and help with dishes at an early age. I couldn't peel potatoes with a knife so learned with a peeler. (I hate using a peeler today) I could scrub potatoes for baked ones, so was expected to do that. I could put away the pots and pans but couldn't reach the other cupboards. The point is, the 50's were exaggerated and maybe in places where the weather was temperate all of the time, things were different. IE California etc. but in Minnesota, my mom hung clothes on the line all year. I helped fold towels and underwear before learning how to iron when I was 10 or 11. I swept the floor and dusted and yes, sometimes things got broken, but I learned at a young age and may not have been as good as hired help, but I did help my mom with the day by day stuff and it wasn't fancy, but it was good food, neatly ordered home and clean clothes. Dad did all of the yardwork except for the flower garden. That was mom's and the truth is, she hated housework and would do anything to spend time in her flower garden. This was a trait that she had since a child because my grandmother said she would rather gather eggs and feed pigs and harvest the garden than do dishes or clean the house. BTW, when mom put on lipstick, we knew she was going downtown. She never just wore lipstick around the house.

[@sofiabravo1994]

Lol I love using the peeler! I have collected vintage dresses skirts and blouses from the 30s-50s and it’s so freeing just to throw on a dress and keep myself groomed I don’t need to glam up at all but still nice to be put together just incase someone comes over or I need to run an errand with the kids ❤

[@chriswhyte-pj6es]

Nicely done, Kristina! I'm a 66 yr old and you ROCK my world!!! Actually, you do WAY more on a daily basis than I remember my mother doing. Beds were made in the morning and a general cleanup. Dinner was usually started also in the morning. Otherwise, she had ONE special chore per day ((ironing, vacuuming, dusting, etc)) the rest of the day was picking up and doing dishes after meals. However if she had a minute when the kids were napping or playing outside... and saw something that needed her attention, she just did it. That type of schedule afforded her a lot of time for teaching, playing and interacting with her children.

[@iquiltasigoalong]

I'm 61, the youngest of 6, and I have a picture of my mum, now 98, bathing me in the kitchen sink. ❤

[@margaretlynch1494]

🙋‍♀️❤️. You have never been as authentic a 50's housewife as you are in this video. I was born in 1955, so I remember it all. Even the watermelon on a hot summer day! Love it!

[@hermajesty2548]

Gee, i feel stupid but your video made me cry... because it's true... and helpful... thank you !

[@MadameEster]

Dear Kristina, after having my baby I found myself as stay home mum something I did not necessarily want or was in my plan it just happened to work better for us, I turned to the internet to help me and I found my self in dispare and discourage until I found you! A relatable house and relatable family and relatable everything so I came today to thank you from the bottom of my heart and soul THANKS FOR PUTTING OUT TTHERE THIS CONTENT ❤

[@charlottefranklin8583]

Please, please, please follow your own path... Your soul is calling to you🙏You are beautiful, and I love your channel! I am 76 and was raised in the 50's and you and your channel resonates with my happy memories of that time...and I am grateful to my mom (who passed last year) for providing those happy times ...and to both my parents for being there for us for that is what is important... that makes a happy family Blessings to you.. be you😍

[@annaparkin8490]

Your videos are captivating and they are exactly what I've been looking for. Thank you!

[@deirdrebridge]

Yessss❤❤❤ This is why your subscribers are here. Thank you for keeping it real ❤️❤️❤️

[@carolemedley1807]

Kristina, I have never before seen anyone cut hard-cooked eggs the way I do...until I watched you!! Twice through the little egg slicer, once in each direction. I love it! I also make my own mayonnaise, though I use an immersion blender. I am fascinated with your vintage gadget, though. Watching you toil endlessly to bring order to a full home brings back sweet memories...and a bit of PTSD, too. A constant treadmill of cooking, cleaning, mothering, tidying. I was always exhausted and frustrated and not always nice about it either. I never learned what you have; that mess is neutral. I constantly judged myself by how chaotic my home was despite my working constantly at full speed.

[@sarahlashbrook6991]

I never comment, but I really, truly appreciated this video. I love pretty dresses and currently am a stay-at-home mom (but I’ve worked outside the home, too), and I gravitate toward the homestead …thing. Anyway, I’ve been really turned off by all the tradwife stuff, and I’ve started to become cynical about all the linen dresses everyone wears. It really does feel fake, like cosplaying being a homemaker. But this felt real, in a world of perfectly staged. It’s like you opened the door to wear dresses if I want, and be a simple mom and wife, and still not be associated with whatever is happening in the tradwife movement. I love the new direction this channel idea going, and look forward to your next video :)

[@donnastratton8397]

This video was beautiful. I love the outside parts and the birds singing. And seeing your normal life with your family.

[@morganwickman8451]

This video was like balm to my tired soul! Thank you so much for putting out a real video for us at home who are incredibly imperfect but trying really hard.I have 4 kids in a tiny home that's hardly ever pintrest worthy clean. It's wonderful to see myself in this video.

[@RLS4jesus]

Thank you! I feel seen, Kristina! As a fellow frugal homemaker, toddler mom and ADHDer you have no idea how much this means to me! Well done dear mama, you are so amazingly articulate and your style is beautifully on point, and unmatched! From your lovely dresses to your wonderfully nostalgic home to your humble and graceful attitude, I'm hooked! Feeling so grateful my friend recommended your channel!

[@donnahume631]

From a middle-aged, no kids, chronic-illness homemaker, I just wanna say, Kristina, I've always felt included in your channel. Goals = met. You are already doing it. 😎

[@VintageLydia]

Knowing what I know about my grandmothers, you're version of vintage is probably more authentic than the June Cleaver version in many TradWife accounts, anyway. The easy dresses, the chipped Formica counters in what seem like in our modern eyes impossibly small kitchens, and mismatched everything (that somehow still very much goes together) remind me more of my grandmothers' kitchens and homes than anything else. I'm not a homemaker anymore (single working mother) but I very much appreciate this account and the pure comfort it brings me to remind me I don't need to be perfect to be good enough.

[@vintageordyecc1781]

Girl I love this! My babies are all pretty big now my oldest is 17 my daughter is days away from being 13 and my youngest is 11. My house is beautiful now with the exception of their rooms (😜) but I would gladly go back to a world of sticky fingerprints and constant toys underfoot. During those days I felt perpetually behind and like I was never able to keep up with the mess. I longed for a time when I would be able to clean a room and it stay clean for more than 20 mins but I was so wrong. I wish I could go back to that almost daily now! My kiddos are great and we spent plenty of time together then and now but that constant drive to do better was always there and kept me from enjoying many of the moments that looking back I wish I’d have been more present for. You are doing a fantastic job! Focus on the joy and the memories and not the mess or that feeling of being an inadequate homemaker! I’m so glad to see someone on social media being a real mom and a real homemaker! You go girl! ❤️

[@agodlyhome]

@@vintageordyecc1781 same here

[@leahmaples6921]

One of my best memories of young motherhood was bathing my son in the kitchen sick and just looking out on to my back yard while he had a blast in the sink. I also washed all my nieces and grandchildren this way. And each one of them has said they remember and loved it. I love the sound of your voice, watching your hands move as you do your chores. I really appreciate "Real" content, not staged. You do make wonderful videos and give us something to think about. So thank you and I hope your family has a wonderful rest of their summer.

[@halleyorion]

Some of my earliest are happiest memories are of sink baths! I remember my parents playing peekaboo with me while I was in the sink, and my grandmother singing “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain” while I was lying on the kitchen counter and she washed my hair.

[@Userinterfaceexperience]

I was a sink baby too in the late 80s

[@JamieLewisKoya]

Some may say I'm crazy,but I often miss washing clothes in a wringer wash machine and scrubbing board. Drying clothes on the line smells so fresh and clean. Miss those days very much.

[@septimasnape]

I just recently found your channel. I am a 37 years old first time mom and a sahm for the first time in my life too. I was never really good at household chores but my husband and I decided together that this type of family structure made the most sense for us. In the quest of learning and getting motivated i watch a lot of KZbin. Thank you for this video, this takes off a lot of pressure, i put on myself

[@georginapeace1740]

Love your perfectly imperfect content! That’s why I watch you. I can’t wait til the tradewife trend is over. Make no mistake the era they emulate; never existed. Homemaking was not dissimilar to now, we just have better tech. Also, Betty Crocker was an old white man in a board room. I am a stay at home mom. With no team to back me up. Much like you. I love my life simply and lovingly, in my garden, in the kitchen or while cleaning the same mess for the 19th billion time. And I can’t ask for much more than that.

[@bekoniasteel]

Watching your videos reminds me of me maybe no less than 10 years ago. I remember the messes all too well. Legos barbies blocks toy cars and stuffed animals finding their home all around the house. I remember spending weekends trying to keep up with messes. Messes that would wait till kids were asleep. I have teens and young adults now. The messes are still there but not the same. Enjoy life's beautiful little messes...there is a whimsical magic to it. This is what I have learned over the years....and though my life has evolved- every bit of the now is something to be thankful for. I know the now will be the past in the future and I will miss it so I cherish it as much as I can.

[@sandraklary4872]

Now this video pushed a button and I'm sitting here sobbing. I've been feeling so inadaquate lately and like I can't do anything right. Feeling like a bad mum, a bad partner, a bad housekeeper,... Thanks for your honesty and your words ❤ They're very much appriciated. ❤

[@claremiller9979]

All that tradwife nonsense is worthless in the end. You bring us something so much more valuable because it's real, it's real life and actual helpful advice, commiseration, joy - not fake filtered fluff that's just trying to sell products (or worse, as a covert method to push religious beliefs, ugh!) Your beautiful family and way of life are a real inspiration, Kristina, because you are like a friend not a cardboard cutout nonperson!

[@deenawatts3257]

I loved this video and I'm so glad you're changing the main focus of your content. You are so genuine and I'm thankful I discovered your channel. I've followed for several years now and have watched your focus shift. Sending lots of love.

[@courtney1709]

Love the messy moments with your children! ❤ Believe me, when they’re grown and gone, you’ll miss it all! Thank you for keeping it REAL, there’s simply no value in a staged, put-on show. Much love to you and your lovely, blessed, happy family!❤

[@Nanasknoll72]

Thank you so much. I am 74 and love watching you and your family. Love how you dress. Also, this video has helped me a lot. I had to have the perfect clean house for years. I spent my entire time doing so. I actually loved working at it. But in the last y 2 years had 3 seizures after having had Covid. I have to take a medication to keep me from having them. It can make me so tired. I have been so stressed that I cannot keep my house the same as I use to. This video made me realize that I do not have to do this but when I can. This is my life now and I need to enjoy what I can and cannot do. I actually get to do some crafting that I did not have time for. So, I can let the house be dusty, or floors not mopped all the time, etc. and enjoy having a little fun!

[@darlenepaul2918]

You need to tell your dr that your siezure meds are making you too drowsy. They can try another med or lessen the dosage. If they wont find another Dr.People with seizures deserve to face thief lives as alert and aware as others.

[@elainecrawford6891]

This video reminds me of when mom was at home full time... then she had to go to work full time. It rocked our world. The security we felt having her home was gone. Keep doing what you're doing because you are doing it fabulously well! 🙏❤

[@bellablue5285]

Admittedly I'm going to have to listen to this without watching to get the message (I'm easily distracted today), but that mayonnaise maker is fascinating! I've never seen one of those! And I'm enthralled 😅

[@WithLoveKristina]

I found it at an estate sale! I’m fascinated still lol

[@bellablue5285]

Message was well stated. I tend to shy away from most social media admittedly, but it didn't exist until I was in college so it's easier to do in my case, but it cannot be denied that the curated content that many folks will only post is not only not realistic, but is setting impossible goals for folks to aspire to (it has its benefits, but the line between real and curated definitely doesnt seem to be clear at times)

[@Shelfaroundthecorner]

I can relate so much. I’m a neurodivergent SAHM living on a small income in a small home. I love this encouragement!

[@death-pc7vw]

I only just discovered you recently. My sister has always suffered with similar issues with adhd and depression. Thank you for helping me see through her eyes. You also constantly inspire me with cleaning my own house. Your transparency and honesty is refreshing and real...don't stop! You've got this!

[@luannedimaggio7025]

I got up in the middle of the night with my usual migraine. Your channel popped up. What a lovely family. Your videos are beautiful, and a good reminder of things simple, affordable and peaceful. Binge watching them all.

[@9monava]

This just popped up for me, and I really love how poetic this video is, particularly the laundry on the line at beginning and end. This is a great video--a gentle, yet open-eyed, look at where we are at in the digital world and the real world with specific reference to the trad wife thing. I have enormous respect for your channel and creative efforts. You have a lot to be proud of and you are truly helping a lot of women right now. I view the trad wife "trend" as presented in the digital world as escapist at best -- I DO enjoy watching some of them! However, these portrayals need to be viewed with a critical eye -- NOT mean or judgmental - and you have achieved this here. It's really important to view the perfection of the trad wife videos within context and questioning because a lot of young women are making decisions based on fantasy and the decisions are financial and life altering and it is really scary and sad. So cheers to you again, dear Kristina, you are mothering us all in a very loving and helpful way!

[@alifeallin5099]

I truly hardly ever comment on video, but this one touched me and will be one I come back to regularly to allow myself compassion and ease. I have always appreciated you and your honesty and the passion with which you nurture your family. Thank you for "mess is morally neutral- I needed that"

[@ShallaBal82]

Loved this so much! I'm a homemaker (who also works from home around my son's schedule), and seeing these "inspirational" trad wives say things like, "You should dress up and take pride in your appearance and choose to not wear leggings and opt for the other things in your closet." Ha! What other things? I only own one pair of leggings and am now on the final shirt from a six-pack of men's Fruit In The Loom t-shirts because all of the other shirts got perma-stains from kitchen spills or little boy fingers - I don't have other options in my closet besides two sweaters for the winter. Being a homemaker in this era with the economy as it is means a lot of personal sacrifice, and those aspirational channels completely miss that point. You did a great job with this video, and laying out all of your thoughts and showing that there's much work to be done at home, and it isn't all displaying wildflowers in vases and making gum from scratch. Also, I totally want that mayonnaise maker, holy smokes!

[@christinaoldham6614]

This was only my second video of yours, but I am now a subscriber and lover of your channel. Let me explain. My husband and I are retired, and I love traditional homemaking skills, and practice many of them myself now that I have time. That said, I was a career woman, and we have no children. I am also an atheist. Therefore, as I watched your first video (the one on living in poverty), I kept waiting for the thing that would turn me off, such as bible quotes or some other judgement regarding having careers or being childless. Of course, that didn't happen even in your first video, but with this one, I have now found my place, and I am so happy and grateful. that you are inclusive, and say that very clearly. Thank you so much for making me feel at home and safe to watch your videos without feeling guarded. BTW, I also love vintage, so that's another nice aspect, though ultimately, I think I'll love your "real" life even more. 😍

[@luizahundt]

Another great video with a wonderful message! Since I had my baby, I've been feeling sad whenever I come across those content creators. I know that they have teams behind them, but our silly brains still make us compare ourselves to them, don't they? What's been getting to me is how frumpy I look. Hair looks awful, no makeup, can't fit into anything yet, despite having lost some of the pregnancy weight, and I don't want to focus on weight as someone who's recovered from an ED. Lost my wardrobe, my style, my sense of self. I'm lucky my husband loves me with messy hair and big shirts and leggings, since it's all I can do now. No time to sew new clothes, no money to ethically buy new, nothing good used in the only second hand shop in town. It makes me actually a bit angry when I see perfectly put together new moms, which is so sad...

[@KlingonPrincess]

I see you. 🤗

[@RLiberty94]

This was such a beautiful. Probably one of the most beautiful videos you’ve ever made. I absolutely love and appreciate how transparent and vulnerable you were in this video and can’t wait to experience a new era of your content! ❤ Watching your videos (and a few others with content) has inspired me to start my own KZbin channel. Thank you for being you and for sharing your sweet, imperfect life with us. I feel so privileged to be on this authentic homemaking journey with you.

[@muchadoaboutkovu]

Annnnd this video is what got me to subscribe. Wonderful stuff! I have felt lately just needing to constantly keep home spotless and my husband and I scolded our kids for ripping our couches(they were hand me downs but still very nice) and your content really smacked me in the face of you know what? This is ok. The couches aren’t going to survive my kids but it’s ok. I feel judged by certain people when they see any mess in the house. Overwhelmed anxiety has stopped me from getting things done and stuff piles up. But I want to spend time with my kids.

[@barbaramoran7356]

From my generation this was called being a June Cleaver...Perfect with Pearls...Glad my mom wasn't like that....

[@StephanieMT]

And the actress wore pearls becuase she had a scar she wanted to hide.

[@WeilleK]

yes yes yes please bring more real-life content and your amazing inspirational pep talks. it's what we all desperately need.

[@Fauxrising2022]

Your intro with the bugs singing and the birds chirping with your music felt like we all stepped into pride and prejudice 😍

[@SabrinasPlace74]

I love being a homemaker, it's what brings my heart joy❤

[@maninom]

You are a blessing to others, Kristina! Just found your channel after your recent video on living on a low income. While our lives aren’t exactly the same, there are parallels of the mindset we can all have no matter what our finances may be. I wish I had found a channel such as yours early in my motherhood. I know your videos are positively impacting others.

[@cheykath]

Thank you for this! ❤ I don't think I even realized how those trad-wife videos were affecting me but I have definitely felt the discontent of being single, full-time employed, neurodivergent, chronically ill, and still wanting to be a perfect homemaker. Ha, that's not going to happen! Life is messy and imperfect and beautiful, whether you're wearing a dress, business casual, or yoga pants. Realizing that is so affirming and a life-giving concept. I loved the quote you shared. One of my favorite quotes is from Kahlil Gibran. "Work is love made visible."

[@princesscupcakeD]

This is a great video essay tackling a real current issue with a liberating loving feel instead of just attacking the glamorization. I'd love to see people talk about navigating protections for the homemaker from some creators too. Ty for being you!!!

[@ManWhoLovesTheMary]

The Tradwife movement isn't making me unhappy, but feelings of inadequacy and comparison and goal-setting have been, and this video couldn't have been recommended to me at God's more perfect timing. It's just what I needed. While I feel and fear I have so much to prove, especially with my recently discovered MOS auto-immune disease, this video encourages me that things take time and the reality behind the glam-veneer of the camera frame are okay. In fact, they are beautiful.

[@Mamato12_blessings-md8xw]

This video means a lot to me. Thank you. I also often feel like a failure in homemaking, among other things. This was the encouragement I needed. I usually follow Christian homemaking channels and I see them also, falling into the trap of copying trad wives accounts. It’s not good. Thank you for this.

[@tentstudiosinc.6424]

You’re awesome. I’m a working mother, a full time teacher with a long commute and it is very hard. I question myself all the time and always have. Keeping a clean house is next to impossible. But now that my child is a teen I regret spending so much time worrying about it all the time. You’re right to cherish the small moments. Your channel is very calming! 😊

[@tracym9225]

I want to thank you for the beautiful video. Life is what happens when we aren't paying attention. Staging life for others to approve of you (to me) is a waste of time. Yours brings back nice memories & reminds me of what is still possible. I do enjoy your vintage 50s videos as I am into social history as well, but do so appreciate your sincere simplicity to real life. All the best to you & your family.

[@mmscl8494]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes to all of this. When my children were small 15-ish years ago, I felt so incredibly inadequate because I was so stressed and exhausted all the time. Sometimes I couldn't even think straight. My mother-in-law didn't help because she 1) wouldn't help even by watching the kids so my husband and I could go to a movie, and 2) because she said that she had no idea why I was so stressed out. One of my children was born with a congenital airway issue among other things and had 11 surgeries by the age of six. We had crap insurance. We had no family support at all. When I look back on it, I was comparing myself to women who had lots of family help, a cleaning service, who never cooked, and who didn't have the same financial concerns I had. I feel so much better now and I just don't care. I wish I'd heard your message then.

[@nancyanderson1716]

Love everything you do! Thank you for not being perfect! Love the fact that you’re a larger lady, and wear the most adorable clothes! So very tired of the stick thin perfectionists with the white, beige, and grey palettes. The ones who report me to the home owners association.

[@lindazimmerman6337]

I appreciate anything you’ve willing to share, I enjoy it all. I frequently reminisce about growing up with my own homemaker mother while watching you in your home with your children and kitties.❤

[@annafife9094]

It's natural to look at how other women are doing it and form a sort of bond with them, because up until the creation of suburbs (which occured less than a century ago) women were never doing it alone. We knew our neighbours intimately, we had grandmothers, aunts and cousins close by. This meant company and laughter, and an extra hand to help. These women were raised to be homemakers from birth. They were also raised to put a screaming baby in a pram and let them cry it out in the garden. They believed it was fine to strike a child if they misbehaved. They depended on their eldest daughters to run the household or mother the little ones, while they got on with other work. Today many women yearn to be at home with their children, or be a homemaker while keeping down a full time career. But we weren't raised knowing how to sew from seven, or how to cook from ten, how to budget or create a smooth homelife routine. We have no neighbours to call on, no family available to offer help, and we don't expect our daughters to take on the mother-helper role. If our children act up we can't "solve it" with a quick slap, and there is no way we're leaving our babies to scream. This means our homemaking journey is going to take longer to master, be harder, feel lonelier, and get messier. Our meals will burn, our kids will take an hour to settle instead of two minutes, our sewing will be wonky or unfinished, and our doubts will creep in because we don't see anyone like us beyond the online world. I get through it by imagining the wise and capable woman I am becoming. Instead of fearing old age and irrelevance, I know this is when I will come into my own.

[@karendowd2466]

I’m 71 and we have a small farm with a huge garden. We are a family of 8 and we work really hard but some things suffer due to growing food and canning it all. So unfortunately it’s the housework and tons more. Some days I feel like a failure that I can’t do it all but mostly I’m good. I’m truly grateful and blessed to have a family that we all love each other.

[@maureenbrophy7852]

Love to see people harnessing the weather to dry clothes👏❤️💐

[@WithLoveKristina]

Haha it’s necessary sometimes, too hot to use a dryer in our house!

[@lizzaturnbull]

Omg bathing the baby in the kitchen sink - that takes me back! I have 3 kids, my youngest is 19 and eldest 24, so it’s been a long time! This whole video really made my heart sing 🥰🥰🥰

[@thegoodfight426]

One of the most beautiful and beneficial characteristics of a human soul is transparency! Thank you for being that!!!❤❤❤

[@RebelMom62]

Young Lady, I Absolutely Love your channel. It happened to pop up on my feed and you are amazing. It is a soothing break from all the bad going on in the US and it gives me hope that there are more people looking for a simpler life. Keep up the good work. Oh and I noticed you are from Washington, I am from Maine, half way between the North Pole & the Equator. LOL God Bless and I look forward to watching more of your videos.

[@tammieecho3098]

I enjoy your homey, cozy down to earth aesthetic so much. It’s beautiful and honest and truly comforting. ❤

[@marynbartolazzi1988]

I love your real-life motherhood videos...as I too am neuro divergent myself and am a mom of 4 kiddos ♥️ it's helpful to know I'm not alone in this...thank you so much for your content...I really enjoy your videos they are so encouraging to me I look forward to every new video of yours 😁

[@mommysperspective9008]

I am loving these new videos. Your content is just superior. You have a special way to remind us that we are not alone. ❤

[@Jane-xt4lu]

You lift my heart. Thank you.

[@veronicanightingale4736]

Thank you. My kids are long grown but now my husband has beginning dementia and I am a caregiver so I find myself frustrated with the the way my small home looks. Thanks so much for this video!

[@violentcat345]

This is exactly why I subscribed to you, you're a joyful creator who shares their real experiences and I appreciate that deeply. Also, When the boiled egg stuck to the shell when you were trying to peel it, I felt that lmao! edit: I'm enjoying this video while battling a common cold and crocheting a temperature blanket for 2023, sometimes life makes you slow down so you end up working on a project for well over the projected time it should take and that's okay.

[@cathygipp]

Hi Kristina, what a lovely life you are creating fir your family. I will assure you that as your kids grow up and look back the things they will remember will be good. It won't be the "messy home" but instead the good food, fun times, and love and security they felt. ❤️

[@ailsadixon408]

As always, speaking straight to my heart. Thank you for this thoughtful, beautiful, joyful and real corner of an unreal world X💕

[@raquelnasser5290]

Beautiful video Kristina! The lovely flowers, birds chirping so lovey! You're doing a great job mama! Much love to you and your family! ❤

[@SLP4Life56]

Thank you for making this video and bringing to life the issues with these "tradwife" videos.

[@bronazlin4955]

Darling, this was so beautiful!! so gorgeously done, real and just what life should be about Xx You are wonderful, much gratitude xxx

[@ksc2866]

Beautifully written, beautifully filmed. Oh, and also honest. Thank you

[@tammymeier9157]

I'm so glad you took this on. Thank you.

[@jessicablain1238]

Your channel is what I think of in times of feeling inadequate. I try so hard to be like my Gramma because she was the example I was given for homemaking. I then have to step back and remind myself what I'm sacrificing by making perfection more important than my littles. If anything, you've helped one mom not beat herself up as she normally would. Thank you ❤

[@IDreamDontWakeHer]

This is why I love your channel so much! Its relatable to me. Your history videos are great too but its nice to see the regular things of life too not just hyper polished homes.

[@IDreamDontWakeHer]

Also your taste and style are super great of course ❤❤❤

[@connie6545]

LOVE your videos! I was a stay-at-home and wouldn't change ANY of it. My husband worked construction, driving cement mixer. I had THOUGHT that I had to live with EVERY moment accounted for. Otherwise, WHAT would people think of me?? JUST be YOU!! You will raise happier, healthier children, trust me!

[@ShannonElizabeth_BSN]

This was lovely. Such a welcome change from the influencer type of lifestyle videos I see daily. I have went down the rabbit hole of your videos, and I am just loving your vintage space. Your family is lovely.

[@gaudiaudi]

Thank you so much for making this! I really enjoyed watching it. Tbh the whole trad wife movement has had me feeling left out. As a real wfh full time mum I know how hard it is, and it frustrates me that it's all so whitewashed online. My heart melted watching this. I'm so glad I follow you. Also, I love the videography in this. It's not aesthetic but it's beautiful. My favourite shot is of the cat sleeping outside. It feels like home ❤❤❤

[@AwoogaWolf]

this was such a lovely video, thanks so much for sharing with us and reinforcing positive messaging about imperfection and these practices, it can feel like a lot of one side vs the other when it comes to online communities and it's so helpful to make a point to explain there is a middle ground and each person should figure out what feels right for them

[@Sldoficn]

You have such a balanced approach to this topic, very refreshing! It’s nice to view those over-the-top homemaking videos but it’s also just as enjoyable if not more to watch a video like you’ve made here that is realistic, authentic and aesthetically pleasing!

[@dreamer4L1]

It takes courage to be authentic, and that is why I am drawn to your channel. Please keep being you!

[@TheFreckledLassSeamstress]

Your channel is refreshing in today's world! Your raw honesty is beautiful ❤️