Caitlin Huber, known on the internet as “Mrs. Midwest,” is a blogger and YouTuber from West Michigan who talks about living traditionally, homemaking, and femininity.
She can be found online at MrsMidwest.com and on her YouTube channel of the same name.
I recently spoke to her about her growing audience and her ironically countercultural take on living well as a woman.
The Epoch Times: You’ve been blogging and vlogging about femininity and your life as a traditional homemaker. Your message provides a counterbalance to the modern feminism that is so pervasive in our culture at the moment. How would you characterize the overall response, so far, to your content?
Caitlin Huber: The response has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Women of all ages, all backgrounds, and all nationalities have become deeply involved with my blog and channel. It seems that traditional women are very excited and relieved to be discussing femininity and traditional living without shame.
But even people who fundamentally disagree with my beliefs have told me that they still enjoy my content because it has helped open their eyes to alternative lifestyles. Isn’t it funny that traditional living has now become an alternative lifestyle?
Mrs. Midwest covers living traditionally, homemaking, and femininity. Courtesy of Caitlin Huber
The Epoch Times: Do you feel there is a hunger among modern women for a return to a traditional lifestyle?
Mrs. Huber: Yes and no.
Firstly, I believe that part of the exuberant support for my channel and blog has been from women who are already living a traditional lifestyle. Many of my viewers are religious, sometimes conservative women who have felt alienated by the modern progressive narrative. I think they resonate with my content because I’m speaking up about these topics from a perspective they relate with.
Secondly, you are right: There is a large portion of my viewers who are hungering for a return to traditional living. Many women confide that they desperately crave a life outside of their career, but are unable to achieve it due to financial or relational circumstances. This is not exclusive to the United States, however, as many of the messages I receive are from women across the globe who deeply regret not pursuing a traditional marriage or lifestyle sooner.
But your average young, progressive, and beautiful woman in the West enjoying her 20s and women’s empowerment? No, I wouldn’t say the hunger is there ... yet.
The Epoch Times: What is the best part about living traditionally?
Mrs. Huber: The best part about traditional living is how freeing and natural it is! I love the security and comfort knowing that I will be able to share children, a future, and old age with my husband. These years of being a homemaker have been the happiest of my life.
Although we took a hit to our income when I began staying home, the time we have together and the order I’ve created in the household have truly made up for that money. We have adjusted quite nicely to our limited income, and I personally have enjoyed the slower and more frugal lifestyle.
The Epoch Times: What have you found most challenging along your journey?
Mrs. Huber: The sheer volume of interaction has been quite overwhelming, as has the exuberant praise and criticism. The praise has far outweighed the criticism, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. It’s never a good feeling to know I’m upsetting people or that people specifically dislike my message. I’m still working on not taking things personally and not letting criticism affect my emotions, but as I’m sure you are already aware, that’s a difficult thing to do!
Mrs. Midwest enjoys the life of a traditional homemaker. Courtesy of Caitlin Huber
The Epoch Times: Have you always envisioned this life for yourself?
Mrs. Huber: Absolutely! Marriage has always been my biggest goal and I am not ashamed of that. Being at home and in a happy marriage with children has always been my primary vision. I never even considered that it could be anything other than a life-giving adventure!
Of course, I have always been involved in women’s ministry in some capacity throughout my life. Now I get to do ministry through my writing and videos while also focusing on homemaking.
The Epoch Times: Did you have other career aspirations before getting married?
Mrs. Huber: Like many of the women who email me, I had career aspirations out of necessity, rather than out of a burning passion. I thought I would have no choice but to work in marketing or sales during my 20s, but it wasn’t an “aspiration,” just a strategy for survival. My only true aspiration was to be married and become a mother, with some time for volunteer work or writing.
The Epoch Times: With the growing success of your YouTube channel and blog, how do you balance creating online content with your aims as a homemaker?
Mrs. Huber: This question has been on my mind a lot. My fans and followers are always asking for more content: podcasts, a Facebook group, personal coaching, live-streaming, and more. It is wonderful to have such vehement interest in my blog, but with every added responsibility comes less time for my homemaking!
The best way I balance it is by fitting the blog around my life, not my life around the blog. I have no intentions of creating a blogging empire. My platform encourages women to consider slowing down their lives and pursuing family as a first priority: I feel it would be unfair if my fans got to do that at the expense of my own marriage and family.
The Epoch Times: What has surprised you most along your journey, either at home or with your work online?
Mrs. Huber: The most surprising part has been the diversity of my viewers and readers. I have women from France, Vietnam, Angola, Sweden, Brazil, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico, just to name a few countries. Some girls have even told me that they translate my videos to help their family members watch! This never ceases to amaze me.
But the second most surprising thing has been how many people respond to my message saying that they love my “version” of feminism! This makes me laugh because I do not identify in the slightest with feminism, but of course, I am happy to have anyone included into our community, as long as they are kind and want to learn about traditional living!
Mrs. Midwest's blog about femininity and traditional living inspires her readers. Courtesy of Caitlin Huber
The Epoch Times: What would you advise young women who hope to embrace the more traditional life you have?
Mrs. Huber: My biggest advice is to plan your life with a family in mind, while still being practical. As I always say on my channel, we cannot guarantee a husband in life. Women must have a marketable skill or degree that will allow them to be independent if necessary.
But at the same time, I encourage young traditional women to not get swept up in Ph.D. programs or high-intensity careers if they intend on being a housewife. Be practical.
You cannot be a housewife without a husband! Choose a husband wisely and don’t date men who don’t want a traditional lifestyle. Never be afraid to admit that you want marriage and a family, no matter how much pressure you feel from society. Stand firm in your desires while following your natural instincts.
The Epoch Times: What are your plans for the future?
Mrs. Huber: My husband and I hope to have a baby in the next year or so, which I am quite excited about! But as far as Mrs. Midwest is concerned, I’m content with making videos and writing about femininity and traditional living until it’s no longer needed.
Barbara Danza
writer
Barbara Danza is a contributing editor covering family and lifestyle topics. Her articles focus on homeschooling, family travel, entrepreneurship, and personal development. She contributes children’s book reviews to the weekly booklist and is the editor of “Just For Kids,” the newspaper’s print-only page for children. Her website is BarbaraDanza.com
