Читать книгу Blessing the Curse? - Ksenija Magda - Страница 11

The status of motherhood is much more stable for women, because the mother bears useful subjects and a large work force of dependents, who add prestige to the father’s hierarchical status. These dependents are also emotionally tied to the mother, which gives her power. Though the power of matrons may be not as immediately visible in modern society as it was in the past, it is apparent to a young wife when her husband cannot help but run home to mom, or to a young husband when his wife spends hours on the phone with her mother.

In the contemporary Western world, there is a sociological subcategory of “yummy mommies,” who are well-educated, stay-at-home moms with a couple of children. They engage the internet for endless advice on child rearing, nutrition, medical care, beauty, and fitness. They work hard to maintain their youthful looks and engage with other “yummy mommies” at prominent cafes. Their husbands tend to be highly paid IT specialists and other CEOs on their way to conquer the world, while their wives hold up their fort at home.

There are many advantages to being a matron or “yummy mommy.” This status gives them some authority over the household matters and the children, which are areas that men tend to despise. If a woman can stay happy within these boundaries (and many women seemingly can), then this might seem to be a perfect match. Nevertheless, many matrons feel unfulfilled, at least when their nest becomes empty. They often try to continue living through their husbands and children, but they want to live their own lives without the constant interference of their mother or wife. As a self-sacrificial victim, the matron may think she has earned the right to live through them, as she has given her life, potential, and sleepless nights to them. Her manipulative demands on others strangle relationships. No wonder Freud described them as “hysteric.”