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Returning to the Simple Joys of
Home and Hobby
In the past decades, many mothers have made the decision to pursue
careers, but that trend seems to be changing. Home and hobby
are calling to these women, who are willing to make financial and
personal sacrifices in order to be the primary caregivers for their
small children. Many women have returned to being keepers at
home, and hobby skills can help them meet the financial challenges of
being a one income family.
One hobby that helps the mother at home is cooking. Though it
could be considered work, cooking and baking are fascinating
hobbies. One can explore the cuisine of different countries
or learn to create gourmet treats. Baking can yield wholesome
whole grain products that nourish the family for a fraction of the cost
of loaves bought at the store.
Another home and hobby skill that comes in handy is sewing on a sewing
machine. Many homemakers are producing quilts that are works
of art. These beautiful offerings can be made inexpensively
by recycling unwanted fabrics into squares and other shapes and
artistically arranging the pieces. Other sewing skills that
are useful for the stay-at-home-mom are mending, altering, and creating
clothing. When polled about favorite pastimes, women often
rank sewing at the top.
Some moms and their husbands actively work on remodeling their home,
and hobby carpentry skills come in handy. One income families
hold down the cost of living by learning to "do it yourself," a term
that is used so much it has been shortened into "diy." The
Internet has made it possible to find information on making all sorts
of repairs and renovations to homes, furnishings and other belongings.
Gardening is a hobby that not only gets the participant close to
nature, but also can put high quality produce on the family
table. Some families are even investing in hobby greenhouses
or growing enough extra to sell a bit each week at farmers'
markets. A good practical hobby like growing a garden gives a
person a sense of accomplishment when they realize their efforts have
created something useful and profitable.
The homemaking parent that has a sense of art can inexpensively create
harmony and beauty around the house, raising everyone's standard of
living. It doesn't have to involve spending any money.
Perhaps she can arrange dried wild flowers beautifully or create simple
hand-lettered wall mottoes that lift everyone's spirits.
Yes, home and hobby call to the women of today, suggesting a simpler
way of life closer to those people and things that matter
most. While the career women are truly making an important
impact on today's world, the quiet return of many to home and hobby may
result in more impact than any of us realizes.
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