The New Domestic Dream

Meet the New Housewife Wanna-bes

Read and discuss the following text. Look at the words in bold in the text and try to explain them.

Discussion

Explain the following phrases (taken from the text) in your own words.

Explain the highlighted words in the text.

1 " Now we're asking 'why can't it work?' rather than just saying 'it can't work'..." (after gap 6)

2 " I don't handle that sort of thing too well.11 (para B)

3 "Merton was... held up by the government as a model of good practice..." (para C)

4 "A survey published last month rams this point home." (para D)

5 "The cynic may think it is all a good management ploy..." (para F)

What are the advantages of a work-life balance scheme, according to Mr Brown? Make a fist, then discuss with your partner.

How important is it to maintain a work-life balance? Think about: health, family, friends. Discuss in groups.

COSMO REPORT

They're young, they're hip —and they want to hang out at home. (Can you relate?) Find out why more and more 20something women dream of quitting the daily grind.

"I couldn't wait to get out of college and start my brilliant career—it meant everything to me," says Erica, 23, an in­vestment hanker. But after just a few months on the fast track, Erica had a new goal: marry that cute associate two cu­bicles down and embark on a full-time stint as his housefrau.

Erica’s not the only girl who'd rather send hubby off with a kiss than do the commute herself. According to a recent survey by Youth Intelligence, a market re­search and trend-tracking firm in New York, 68 percent of 3,000 married and sin­gle young women said they'd ditch work if they could afford to; And a Cosmo poll of 800 women revealed the same startling statistic: two out of three respondents would rather kick back a casa than climb the corporate ladder. "It's no fleeting fan­tasy—these women honestly aspire to the domestic life, and many will follow through with it," says Jane Buckingham, president of Youth Intelligence. What's turned women's hopes homeward after years of yearning for the corner office? Cosmo gets to the bottom of this new nesting trend.

We had to wonder — is this new stay-at-home fantasy all about slow-cooking a casserole while folding laundry? No way—these chicks aren't looking to play June Cleaver Housewife wanna-bes of the year 2000 have something much dif­ferent in mind. While many want kids and see parenthood as a full-time pursuit, the fantasy doesn't revolve around playing patty-cake with Junior—at least initially. Rather, these women dream of ditching the nine-to-five before they even have children. Explains Pat, 24, a publicist and aspiring novelist: "I'm focused on having a life where, yes, I do work a bit but without a boss breathing down my neck and with plenty of time to ex­perience the good stuff in life. I'd write in the afternoon and spend the rest of the day taking classes, going to the gym, or meeting a friend for coffee. In the evenings, I'd make incredible meals and then finish the night having rocking sex with my husband."

The other key facet of the fantasy for these women? Indulging their nesting in­stinct—with a vengeance. According to Buckingham, being a housewife has been elevated to a cool, creative pursuit. "Home is safe and controllable, and women want that power in their lives," she observes. "Also, the work she does there is a unique and personal statement, which is impor­tant in today's mallized world. " Just lis­ten to Stacey, 30, a designer, explain why she's planning on marrying a man who can afford to have her retire: "Home will be a total haven. I'll go through a stack of Martha Stewart books and learn to cook. I'll Feng Shui my furniture and pick just the right sheets from Garnet Hill. Keeping house sounds like fun."

Дата добавления: 2014-12-29