I quit my job to raise our 8 children, but I hate being called a craftswoman

August 3, 2024

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I quit my job to raise our 8 children, but I hate being called a craftswoman

After giving up her dream life as a ballerina to move to a farm with her husband, Hannah Neeleman quickly adapted to rural life.

But the mother of eight recently responded when people flooded the comments on her viral videos with claims that she is being oppressed.

The mother of eight hit back after people suggested her life was oppressiveSource: Instagram/ballerinafarm

She has gained over 9.7 million followers who show her life on the farmSource: Instagram/ballerinafarm

The couple have eight children and hope for moreSource: Instagram/ballerinafarm

Hannah lives and works at Ballerina Farm with her husband Daniel, son of Jet Blue founder David Neeleman, and their wonderful brood.

Despite their seemingly idyllic life, the family faced a wave of controversy when an interview was published that didn’t end as they had hoped.

The mother posted a video on social media addressing her and her family about the artwork, saying she was shocked by the end result.

The in-depth article, published by The Sunday Times, revealed what life is really like on Ballerina Farm and also highlighted Hannah’s dedication to her family and rural life.

But as far as Hannah knows, she’s not a craftswoman.

“I don’t know if I can identify with the label ‘traditional woman,’” she said in a reaction video she shared about the story.

Hannah is a former pageant queen and former ballerina who trained at the prestigious Juilliard School before marrying her husband and leaving her life in bustling New York City for a life on the farm.

But the content the mother posts on social media has earned her unprecedented fame: she now has more than 9.7 million followers on Instagram and 9.4 million on TikTok.

The segments often show her life as a housewife on their 800-acre Utah ranch, but there was one segment in particular that left a bad taste in the mouth of some viewers.

I became a proud traditional wife at 22 – trolls say I’m ‘pathetic’ and ‘have no brains’ but this is my dream life

In the viral video, Hannah said she wanted a trip to Greece for her birthday, but instead she was given an apron with pockets to collect eggs on the farm.

“He can definitely afford to take her to Greece, I would divorce him over this gift,” someone commented on the clip.

Despite the controversy, Hannah maintained that she loved the gift and was bothered by the fact that she was being portrayed as “oppressed, and that my husband was to blame.”

“This is absolutely not true,” she said.

Hannah continues about their 13-year partnership: “Together we built a company from scratch.

“We have brought eight children into the world and have always made our marriage a priority.”

The former dancer said she and Daniel plan to expand their farm, which offers a variety of products including dairy, meat, kitchenware and more, in the coming months and years.

The couple also plans to have more children. As Hannah said in the reaction video, “We’re not done having kids yet.”

Although she is happy with her lifestyle, people were still convinced that she was not completely honest.

“It wasn’t even the article that convinced me, it was the video of the light disappearing from her eyes with the egg apron and his condescending ‘you’re welcome’ at the end,” someone commented on the video.

“It’s your life and no one else is allowed to have an opinion on it, but I do hope you take a break from constantly looking after the kids and cooking so you can go to Greece,” someone else said.

Meanwhile, others defended Hannah, praising her “beautiful family” and “dream life.”

“You have a beautiful family and are an inspiration to many people so who cares what people think,” one person wrote.

“If you’re happy Hannah, then I’m happy for you,” said another.

What is a traditional woman?

A trad wife (short for traditional wife) is a woman who chooses to take on an ultra-traditional role in marriage. This means making dinner and looking pretty while her husband is at work.

The trend is inspired by the image of the housewife from the 1950s.

Many traditional wives choose to dress in the style of clothing popular at the time (think floral dresses and slouchy cardigans).

Moreover, the values that traditional women consider important resemble strictly Christian values.

Traditional wives believed that they were not forced to live this way and that their purpose was to be a housewife.

The trend, which has gained traction on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, glorifies a bygone era and pays little attention to the economic challenges facing families and mothers today.