Wives at home without children

  • Thread starter Thread starter twf
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

twf

Guest
A common and controversial topic on this board is the “traditionalist” teaching (Fr Ripperger et al) that a woman should prioritize “the home” above all, to the point that, at least according to Fr Ripperger, a man should work two full time jobs before his wife leaves the house. I don’t subscribe to this teaching, not to the full extent any way, but I’m honestly curious what the “traditionalist” community teaches about women who simply can’t have children (barren for example). Is she obliged to twiddle her thumbs at home all day? Keeping house for two people with no kids is not a big job. The ideal woman of Proverbs 31 is an active businesswoman… I know I’m probably opening a can of worms and I’ll probably regret it, but curiosity got the better of me.
 
Last edited:
twf said:
at least according to Fr Ripperger, a man should work two full time jobs before he dares let his wife leave the house.
Click to expand...
Personally, I don’t think that he’s in any position to recommend this as it’s beyond his expertise. Also, it’s his personal opinion. I would take anything he says with a grain of salt.
twf said:
Is she obliged to twiddle her thumbs at home all day?
Click to expand...
There’s no such obligation. The couple should discuss these matters and make a decision together. It’s their choice.
 
Last edited:
I’m addressing his “alleged” suggestion that a man should work two full time jobs just to prevent his wife from leaving the house. I’m not sure how many jobs Fr. Ripperger has had, but speaking as a working man, I find this suggestion a bit absurd.
 
Yes, it would be very hard for a father to tend to his wife and children if he’s working 80+ hours every week. He’ll either never be home or totally exhausted. Regardless, working that much isn’t healthy anyways.
 
Cruciferi said:
I’m addressing his “alleged” suggestion that a man should work two full time jobs just to prevent his wife from leaving the house. I’m not sure how many jobs Fr. Ripperger has had, but speaking as a working man, I find this suggestion a bit absurd
Click to expand...
What exactly did he say.

He has a PhD and has worked in secular jobs before becoming a Priest. A man with a good work ethic.

He does have a youtube out that discusses his opinion and another answering critics
 
Last edited:
My big concern is that if the husband died suddenly, unless they have absolutely fantastic life insurance, the wife would be left to find her own way with minimal ability to do that. If became severely ill and couldn’t work anymore, it could be even worse, because he might require additional care and that often doesn’t come cheap.

I think, especially in this day and age, it’s important for a woman to have some education of her own, if nothing else, as a fall-back in case she ever does have to become the breadwinner. My parents are very traditional, and my mom was a SAHM, but she has a B.A. in French (she’s fully bilingual) and an M.A. in political science. She obtained the M.A. after she was married, but before I was born (I’m the oldest of six kids).
 
twf said:
Keeping house for two people with no kids is not a big job.
Click to expand...
depend of what you are speaking of.

If you speak of a life in a studio, I agree.

If you speak of a life with a house, a garden and growing your own vegetables, fruits, eggs etc; I don’t agree. All this, gardening, and canning, freezing,doing marmelades, cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc can be very time consumming, mostly during summer.
 
Last edited:
For two people? Unless you’re talking about producing and canning enough produce etc to sell / share with others…in which case she is essentially “working” a job, not simply keeping house for two people.
 
It does not match my experience. Taking care of a garden and all of the food that is produced and cooking is extremely time consumming in summer. I was lucky to not worked on summer, and my husband only worked spare time on summer on this period and didn’t have children at this time. I am unable to do the same now.

And to add, make the washing up (3 times a day), make the groceries (several time a week, by feet), cleaning, making the beds, receive friends etc.
 
Last edited:
QwertyGirl said:
Because it’s not his life, so it’s none of his business.
Click to expand...
The welfare and spiritual health of people area priests business. Priests are allowed opinions. Thats his, he is very traditional.
 
Last edited:
He is also very opinionated. It is inappropriate advice, for many reasons. Perhaps it would be okay if he knew the person he was speaking to one on one. But that was not the case. Too many unknown variables in the lives of individuals to dispense this sort of advice. Think of the poor sap for whom this advice would be inappropriate but doesn’t know any better.
 
Last edited:
twf said:
For two people? Unless you’re talking about producing and canning enough produce etc to sell / share with others…in which case she is essentially “working” a job, not simply keeping house for two people.
Click to expand...
We need to be very careful of falling into the trap thinking of those decades previously where the role of homemaker is devalued

Being a home maker is a working job
 
QwertyGirl said:
He is also very opinionated. It is inappropriate advice
Click to expand...
Have you actually watched his youtube on this topic and his reasoning, and then his answer to his critics?

I find him to be very unopinionated. And anything he brings up he gives sound reasons
 
To each his own, I guess. Blind sheep, if there are any, following this type of advice may find themselves in a world of hurt, as a result. It is irresponsible, imo. As a priest, many of the people (ultra-traditionals) who listen to him perceive him as having authority, no doubt. He doesn’t have authority, at least not on this subject matter, and he should be sure to make that VERY clear. He doesn’t.
 
QwertyGirl said:
To each his own, I guess. Blind sheep, i
Click to expand...
That is offensive to a priest in good standing with Rome.
It is also offensive to those who watch and listen to his teachings and reasonings .
QwertyGirl said:
As a priest, many of the people (ultra-traditionals)
Click to expand...
Ultra traditionalists? There are priests who preach and teach modern concepts and there are those who preach and teach what is not so modern. There are priests who follow the middle of the road.

Why so divisive in your language.
QwertyGirl said:
He doesn’t have authority, at least not on this subject matter, and he should be sure to make that VERY clear. He doesn’t.
Click to expand...
I strongly suggest watching his youtubes on this issue.

Then you can decided if he is claiming any authority and if so what that might be
 
Last edited:
I think the real housewives of the diocese would be a facinating show. I think in general if a person is not raising children then the temptation to the vice of sloth would be significant to these women.
 
GiftofMercy said:
We need to be very careful of falling into the trap thinking of those decades previously where the role of homemaker is devalued

Being a home maker is a working job
Click to expand...
I’m not devaluing it at all. But the entire point of this thread is a scenario in which there are no children. I struggle to see why a wife who does not have children to care for should feel obliged to only care for the home…caring for two people (yourself and your husband) will not generally be a full-time job if there are no children involved. I know one poster suggested it could be, but I don’t think that’s the typical scenario.
Proverbs 31 is far more traditional that Fr. Ripperger’s opinions, and it presents the ideal woman as a very active businesswoman of sorts…making investments and earning profits…
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top