We learn from books and movies about the frontier women who helped settled this country. Many came from persecution and dismal futures in their home environment. With hard work and determination these tough women created homes, livelihoods and healthy children in a hostile country. How did they do this? The family all pitched in together – everyone, even the children, had chores. Each knew if they did not pull their weight, it would mean leaner times, even sickness, for all.
The modern American woman faces the same huge work-load. She does not plough the fields, kill hogs and chickens, render fat, make buckskin garments, make candles, grow vegetables, preserve food, spin yarn, knit and sew (by candle-light), home school her children and serve tea and scones to the ladies of the Church.
No she does not, but she does hold at least one job sometimes two, commutes to these jobs, fills up and maintains her automobile, juggles child care, cleans a home, pays the bills, raises the children, does laundry, shops for all necessities, shops for all food, cooks the food, cleans up the kitchen, monitors children’s education, attends to and nurtures a partner and serves a gourmet dinner with hors d’oeouvres for eight and then makes cookies for the school football team. In addition to all this, she attends football games, PTA meetings, takes care of her appearance and still has to provide healthy meals that don’t mean hours in the kitchen. How can she do this and NOT use processed food and any other trick to save precious time, never mind worry about Covid-19 or the Planet.
The makers of the processed food could help by not packing their products with excess trans-fat, sodium and sugar. Healthy food should not mean more expensive food.
Immigrant families starting up businesses in the USA all work together as one entity and the businesses thrive. Every family could make themselves into a Corporation with goals, budgets, divisions of labour and progress reports. Designate tasks and show how the combined effort produces the best results. Children are much smarter than we think and if included in decision-making can make bigger contributions to the family net worth ….. and take some of the burden off of mom.