Homemakers like stay-at-home mothers have had to find interesting ways to adapt to life as it exists today, particularly when it comes to balancing family life with their own interests, dreams and goals.
By the 1960s, after all, many women who initially held more traditional roles were finding work, going to college and starting their own families.
So, as I entertain myself with the latest in new online casino platforms which is a real hit with stay-at-home mums, I’ve also decided to look back at a decade’s worth of home-making women who made a name for themselves in the process. It really was just a matter of disappearing down some kind of rabbit-hole, but hey, who’s complaining?
I came across many contributors, but narrowed the list down to two, who for the most part remain anonymous, but are every bit as worthy as anyone of sainthood. I since discussed this topic with fellow book-club mums members as somewhat of a different approach to our regular book review discussions.
When asked to choose just 10 names, we were left with a list that was, at first glance, too short to warrant its own round-up. But then we were reminded of all the incredible women who are changing the way we view women — and the kinds of women who don’t have to choose between being successful at work and being a great parent — and we decided to drop a second list to commemorate them.
Nermin Hasanbegovic, “Queen of Cafes”
Nermin Hasanbegovic is the mother of three sons, each of whom is named after one of the kings of the Zagreb Tartars. She began working at age 12 and cooked for her family during holidays, but even as she did so, she never considered herself a typical stay-at-home mom. “If I had married a traditional man, I would have wanted to be a housewife,” she told the Huffington Post in 2011. “I saw my sons grow up that way, but I wanted to have a career and be free.”
In 2008, Hasanbegovic founded Accent, a company that creates cafes and dining experiences centred on South Asian cuisine. The first location opened in the Lele, Croatia, and since then, Accent has expanded to 14 locations, all in Zagreb, plus four more locations in Croatia. Each location features a little museum honouring the women of Croatia, and many of the female managers also bring their own food and recipes to the restaurants.
The locations are small, family-friendly establishments that allow children to get up and running with the kitchen equipment before they’re allowed in the dining room.
Astrid Andersen, Danish fashion designer
The world of fashion is an unforgiving one, but that hasn’t stopped Astrid Andersen from achieving remarkable things, both at home and on the runway. In her home country of Denmark, Andersen has been a clothing designer for nearly 20 years, opening her first shop at the age of 19. She has since also expanded into furniture design, footwear design and home decor, and has won multiple awards for her designs.
In addition, Andersen has recently launched her own collection of ethically made lingerie.