Hello fellow redditors,
Background: I am currently an engineering student in college. I have one more year left (considering I don't fail any classes) and I have a summer internship lined up. I am somewhat liberal in a sense where I do like freedom but I am envious of all the women who get to stay home after they get married or have kids while there boyfriends/husbands provide for them. I grew up in a family where both of my parents worked (although my dad did make enough income to support our family) because my mom was very career oriented. I spent majority of my childhood in daycare (which I HATED). My dad made sacrifices for me when I was little such as working longer hours/night shift just so I didn't have to go to daycare. However, he got laid off during the 2008 recession so he then worked regular hours. During this time, I went to school from 7 am – 6 pm because my dad ended up finding a job 50 miles away and my mom did all these afterschool programs at her work to climb in her field. I always wished I could get picked up at 3pm (normal time where school ends). When my mom picked me up or tried to spend time with me she was always tired and didn't really care to know how my day went. My dad cooked for me sometimes but most of the times I ended up eating fast food and suffered from obesity and bullying. My dad never forced my mom to work long hours but she chose to because she felt as it she got freedom from her job and it enabled her to take care of her poor family in India.
Current thoughts: I hated my childhood and in the future I don't want this to ever happen to my kids (if I ever get the opportunity to procreate or even find someone to procreate with). I feel like housewives have it easier. They only have to cook, clean, and take care of the children while working moms have to cook, clean, take care of kids and work 40 hours a week. Also, housewives have a providing husband who agrees to take care of the women while working women don't have that. I want a man to treat me like a woman and take care of me. Also, I NEVER in the future want to send my kids to daycare. I went through hell and if I were to have kids I don't want them to go through that. I want to spend time with my future kids, cook nice meals, stay in good health, and keep the house neat and tidy. Everyone in my house expects me to be a career woman like my mom. My mom also said that when I grow up she's going to pressure my future spouse to make me get a job even in case if he is traditional. I just don't want to be a working woman. My parents believe that a career is imperative for me but it's not the lifestyle I want.
Present situation: I feel like the best option if I don't get to be a SAHM is to be a mother who works from home. This way I have financial independence and I don't have to send kids to daycare. However, my top preference is to not work. I also am currently single and 20 years old. I am worried about the guys in this present generation and I know that most of them don't prefer housewifes or getting married in their 20s. I know many people in the country I live in (America) that get married in their 30s and sometimes even have kids in their 40s. I am really worried about that and don't want to end up in that category. As soon as I graduate I am expected to work but I don't know what to do with my personal life as I'll probably have none.
Thanks for reading.