My 13 yo, Charlie is homescooling in the truck with Dad (he's a long-haul truck driver). Charlie works, helping to load and unload. We expect all our boys will do the same to make some cash. Especially in the summer time All our kids are expected to do work around the house and have regular chores. I just wish they pitch in with the laundry!

I actually just finished this -- what can I say, between these two kiddos, it's a miracle I get to read the side of a cereal box

I really enjoyed it and I for one would not mind sharing my husband and other household chores!!! I loved the portrayal of how the beliefs of different religions mirrored and melded into each other. I agree that the emotions were so raw and powerful!

I would NOT share my husband. He is my best friend, and we spend all our time together. the thought of sharing him with someone who he loved equally to me would break my heart. We have a bond that we share with no one else.
I would not want another woman sharing my household chores either. I love doing them, and it is MY house, and I have things my way.

Actually that whole thought makes me really really sad.

Yeah, when I think about sharing chores I think it'd be great for a split second. Then I realize I'm a complete control freak when it comes to cleanliness.

Oh don't get me wrong -- I don't think that it would work in today's mainstream society and I'd probably dislike it in reality. It just reminded me of what my mom used to say when the kids, house, and other family obligations started getting particularly overwhelming: "I need a wife!"

In a way I like the idea of living in such a close community.

I wouldn't like the idea of sharing my husband and household chores, but wouldn't mind the companionship of having other women around all the time to talk too. In my life I have started to shape my life so that women are around - for example, my sil and I are becoming very close and when she needs help she calls me and I help her. We meet for coffee regularly, e-mail often, call each other, etc. So the thought of being surrounded by women who are friends on a daily basis would be so nice!!!

I'd share my husband and the household chores and the childrearing. No problem. Love doens't divide, it multiplies - and I realize that very, very, very few people feel the way I do, so I'll just shut up at that.

I can understand not wanting to share, though!

I think some people are polygamous and some people are monogamous, and what works for some people won't work for others. I could probably be in a poly relationship if I had more energy.

I love being around other women, too. It just energizes me and I walk away feeling so much better. (If their energy doesn't deplete me, that is. I've had my fair share of energy-depleting people in my life!) Hell, let's all just start a commune and live with each other.

I think if I hadn't gotten "married", I would have enjoyed being a maiden aunt. I really like having extended visits with my sisters and helping with the kids and the housework. Since the marriages described in TRT aren't really like the marriages today (as others have mentioned), I think I would have been OK with it.

I do know people now who live in households with multiple partners, and I certainly don't judge them, but I know I personally could not handle that. It's funny, I used to be fairly judgmental of the Mormon offshoot sects that practice polygyny, spouting that it was unfair to women, etc. Then on Dr. Phil (which I've only seen the once!) I listened to a woman who was one of several wives talk about how much she liked it and how it actually empowered them as women and realized, just like the multiple-partner families I know, these people are choosing the life that works for them and makes them happy--why do I judge one and not the other? I've taken a different view of it since then. BUT--this woman was very condemning of those two towns in Utah that practice forced child marriages and so on, and I agree that that is terrible.

Hmm.. i guess It depends on who you are. I don't have anyone in my life now..well other than my husband and kids. A couple friends that we visit with, but no one that i share my inner most feelings. Sometimes I feel lonely, because I have alot inside that I can't talk about. But i am also so private, about other than superficial stuff that I find the presence of others in my life to be very draining. I guess I find it easy to get sucked into the drama in others lives also, and carry around all of their negative energy.

So the whole commune idea just would not work for me. I can go for days without talking to anyone.

WHOOOOOOOO! Can you imagine how our husbands would feel. DOULA, DOULA, DOULA all the time!!!!

Heather

I'm like this, too! I guess I'm a hybrid of both. I'm a very quiet person, and if I'm around too many people for too long, I do have to get away and be on my own for awhile. I think I'm probably romanticizing the idea a bit, but it sounds fun in theory.

Heather, I can just see it now. "So, what're you gonna do today?" "Hang around with other women and chat about birth." "WHAT ELSE CAN YOU POSSIBLY TALK ABOUT?!"

There are so many interesting ideas here! I only live with my boyfriend and cat in a three room apartment and I find myself thinking 'I need a wife!' at times (what an adventure it will be when we have kids!).
Here's a thought: I wonder if one of the reasons a lot of us are so uncomfortable with the idea of having wife-sisters (or sister-wives... which is it?) is because of the way women are marginalized in our society today. So many women compete with one another for everything, all of the time (men, good looks, nicest car, nicest house, smartest kids, business promotion, clients when we're doulas , the list goes on...). Their families were just so different. They didn't have to compete for the man, because they all had the same husband! They nursed one-another's children, they fixed one-another's food. There wasn't so much room for competition, and the notion of independence that we have today was virtually unheard of. It's funny, because in a way, I bet that this kind of living made for stronger more confident women; because they knew that they already had the support they needed. AND, I bet the incidence of PPdepression was nothing like it is today!
Laura

I agree with this..... but still doesn't mean I would want it. Maybe if I did not know any different.
I just can not wrap my little ol brain around it. But I do not come from a really close family of aunts, sisters and cousins either. My kids never had a 'second' mom, and I rarely babysat nieces and nephews ( really i could hardly stand the little beggers!) so i don't know what that close bond is all about.

I'm loving this discussion! Again Ladies, I have to say-This is exactly why I started this book club. :thanks

I don't want to share my hubby with another woman-hell I have 5 kids to share him with already!!! But help with the housework? That I'd love!!!