Hauling the contents of your Manhattan apartment to the suburbs to raise a family doesn’t mean you have to leave your city identity behind. It seems that every few years there’s a hyped movie covering the scenario. The iconic Stepford Wives, which was written in 1972 and then became a film in 1975, portrays Joanna Eberhart, a New York City photographer who moves to Connecticut with her young family. Joanna is disturbed by the conformed lifestyle and questions if the wives are robots. This emblem of a period has endured by referring to Stepford wives, or living in Stepford, as the archetypal housewife who becomes a casualty of suburban living. A little over twenty years later is Ang Lee’s equally rich film The Ice Storm, which is also partially filmed in New Canaan, sealing its stature as ground zero of housewife breeding. The suburban stereotype analogue moves to the present with Netflix’s miniseries “Sex/Life,” which is far less nuanced than its predecessors. (Translation: a bit trashy). The storyline follows every cliche involving Billie, a young mother who yearns for her city life and the hunky bad boy who resides there, over the ho hum existence in her hometown of Greenwich. It doesn’t help that her handsome husband Cooper seems unable to shake everything his tie-wearing corporate life comes with. The first episode is titled “The Wives Are in Connecticut” to reinforce the theme.
Make gardening a positive experience if you enjoy it.
So why is the Connecticut housewife being blatantly labeled? The short answer is affluence and boredom. As a mother who lives in a commuter Connecticut town, the housewives are everywhere. They have significant income to spend on massive cars, customize cubby rooms to organize their kids endless gear, and participate in the town’s variety of fitness facilities and blow bars. Though for those who are reluctant to participate in the coterie, follow this 12 step program to stay aligned with your life before suburbia.
Picnic scene on the grounds of New Canaan, Connecticut’s Waveny Park, which is where both versions of Stepford Wives was filmed, and is the town portrayed in The Ice Storm.
- Work: If you have a career preserve your skills. Holding down a job leaves no time to become a room mother or president of the wine club. Contributing to the household also maintains your independence and sense of worth. For those who elect to not work, spend your time volunteering with enlightening organizations.
- Avoid alcohol: Designate drinking for appropriate times and politely decline boozy lunches with friends.
- Children’s names: When naming your child keep it simple and classic. Avoid names of characters from F. Scott Fitzgerald novels, the last names of presidents, or coastal towns.
- Avoid getting a trendy dog: Any hybrid breed, especially if it has a poo in its DNA, is concentrated canine conformity. Choose a dependable dog like a shepherd or dachshund. Even better, adopt a rescue.
- Maintain your classic style: Refrain from hitting the salon every month for highlight touchups or have an over dependency on makeup. Staying true to your natural appearance is both healthy and symbolic.
- Outsource effectively: Hire a babysitter to give yourself a needed break and perhaps pursue something soulful.
- Allot bonding children activities: Enjoy time spent with your kids, it’s arguably the most memorable and fleeting time of life.
- Be in control of social media: Avoid excessive time following unrealistic influencers or acquaintances with staged lives.
- Shun conformity: From using the same builder, architect, landscaper or interior designer as half your town to dressing in the same styles, once you live and look alike it’s difficult not to be one of the masses.
- Make time for your husband: He’s your partner in the suburban game. The more time you spend together keeps you united.
- Go out often: Traveling from your home allows you to connect to life on the other side. City outings is a plus to maintain your sophisticated metro bond.
- Pursue what you love: Whether it’s reading, art or fitness, maintaining positive interests is both enjoyable and enriching.
