The REAL Housewives

In the past week I've had several people (including men) tell me they wouldn't mind being a "housewife." This only led me to think into what this title really means. Do we think about June Cleaver- the cake frosting 1950's sitcom mother? Do we think about six screaming kids in the back of a minivan on the way to soccer practice orange slices and Gatorade? Or we do we think about one of the self-proclaimed "Real Housewives of ..."?

I'll never forget the first season of the Real Housewives of Orange County riding off the coattails of America's newfound obsession with the Southern California region. For the record, the majority of Orange County is not like the lives of Marissa Cooper and Ryan Atwood. These "housewives" included women who had horrific spray tans, peroxide damaged hair, identical breast implants, and a weird obsession with Sky tops (those awful halter things with a rhinestone ring). Beyond their drone like looks they all prided themselves on staying home because their husbands made more than enough to afford them the luxuries of South Coast Plaza. As the seasons went up and characters developed the women who had actual jobs it was later revealed had some sick obsession with making money because of a bad prior marriage or a disadvantaged childhood. There's a reason why the DC version couldn't make it past one season: no one wants to see a culture of women who are power players with real jobs. No no no, it's Lisa Hochstein from the Miami version who spends her days lying by the pool hanging out with her BFF/maid/bartender Daysy chugging down vodka Red Bulls complaining about how exhausted she is from throwing a lingerie charity event. This is the image of what we think a housewife is. Newsflash that is not a a real housewife, that's a real first world problem. Better yet, that's a real disgrace to all the REAL housewives.

Because to me a housewife is likely someone who gave up their own career, independence, and dreams to dedicate their life to everyone else. Someone who makes breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a family accommodating everyone's specific dietary restrictions even if it means making everyone a separate meal. Someone who is a personal chauffeur at all hours to all locations even if that means dropping your kids off at school before heading to the doctor for your next round of chemo. Someone who will put up with having your enraged teenager tell you they hate you and slam a door in your face, but expect you to pick up all the pieces when they hit life's obstacles. Someone who goes to every award ceremony, sports game, dance and piano recital no matter how boring. Someone who greets you after a long day of work or school with a smiling face and a huge ornate fruit and nut platter no matter what is going on in their life. Someone who able to coordinate a social calendar with your spouse down to every last detail. Someone who has to please everyone else before they can even think about what they want. No my friends that is a real housewife. A job that (at least for now) I do not want, the hardest job of them all. So I would mind being a housewife because at the end of the day my job is eventually done, but a REAL housewife's work is never complete.