Embracing the Traditional Wife Lifestyle on Her Own Terms
A 26-year-old Australian mother of two has taken a bold step by leaving her nursing career to focus on raising her children and embracing what she calls the 'tradwife' lifestyle. Stacey Knight, who previously worked as a nurse, made the decision in 2023 to swap her scrubs for spatulas and nappies, dedicating herself fully to her family.
Stacey's journey began during her pregnancy with her eldest son, Dusty. While expecting, she enrolled in a postgraduate course in injectable and dermal science, hoping to eventually start her own business. However, after Dusty was born, her perspective shifted dramatically. She found herself working only one day a week for six months before ultimately deciding to leave her job behind.
Two years later, she says she has no regrets about her choice. "I absolutely do not miss my old job," she shared. "I much prefer to stay at home with my kids in these early years. I'd rather savour that moment."
Her husband, Tom, and friends have always supported her decision, even though they have different views on work and family life. "I have lots of friends that love going to work," she said. "People just have different interests."
Stacey believes that society places unfair expectations on women, often requiring them to juggle full-time jobs with all the responsibilities of being a stay-at-home mum. "I think that expectation is unfair, but obviously some people do not have the choice and have to go to work."
She now shares her daily life through her social media channels and recipe website, 'Staying Home with Stacey.' Her content showcases her passion for cooking, gardening, and homemaking, often featuring her in flowing skirts or baskets filled with fresh vegetables from her garden. This style of content has become popular among other young mothers who use the hashtag #tradwife to celebrate their choice to stay at home.
The term 'tradwife' refers to women who take on traditional gender roles, often resembling the 1950s housewife archetype. However, the concept has sparked controversy in recent times, particularly when it was suggested as a topic for a debate in South Australia. The debate was titled, "The 'Trad Wife' movement is good for women."
Australian influencer Jasmine Dinis, known for sharing Christian and political values alongside videos of baking sourdough bread, faced criticism online for a post that included remarks about her husband and the U.S. president.
For Stacey, her content is not about selling a lifestyle. In fact, she has only had one sponsorship deal so far, which was not paid. "I'm doing it by choice, not because it's expected or because I don't have any other options. I genuinely enjoy it, and I chose this path myself," she said.
Some of her TikTok videos are captioned with phrases like "Husband's lunch prep with a side of flu" or "snack prep for my two kids," often including the hashtag. A video titled "Trad wife hobbies without the oppression" highlights her approach to the lifestyle.
When asked about the term 'tradwife,' Stacey emphasized that it represents her personal choice to embrace the things she loves. "I don't believe it's about going backwards. I do it because I love it and have a genuine interest in homemaking, cooking, and gardening," she explained.
She also noted that the 1950s version of the role lacked choice and freedom. "I'm sophisticated, I still have opinions and am very involved in everything our family does. If I didn't stay at home with the kids, someone would be paying for childcare. It is definitely still work."
Regarding the idea of 'serving' her husband, Stacey explained that Tom dislikes cooking, while she enjoys it and places a higher priority on health. "I do it because my husband would happily eat a servo pie and I'd like him to stay healthy," she said. "He really would be happy with anything, so I think I just care about his health maybe a little bit more than he does."
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