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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Amber Raiken

‘It’s really not that deep’: Nara Smith defends her role as a mother after being labeled a ‘tradwife’

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Louise Thomas

Louise Thomas

Editor

Nara Smith has hit back at how she’s been labeled a “tradwife” as she opened up about her role as a working mother.

The 22-year-old model – who shares three children with husband Lucky Blue Smith – addressed some of the criticism she’s faced on social media during an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, published on August 22. While she acknowledged that she’s been referred to as a “tradwife,” a phrase for a married woman who takes on traditional gender roles from the 1950s, she said that she wouldn’t view herself in that way.

“That’s one of the narratives that I have a really hard time wrapping my head around: the tradwife, whatever it is,” said Smith – who’s known for her viral TikTok videos about cooking for her family and husband. “You don’t see me getting on a plane, hopping to New York, modeling, coming back – all while I have a newborn – paying bills, filming content, getting my kids dressed.”

Smith continued to hit back at how she’s just been categorized by her responsibilities as a parent, rather than also by her career.

“Being put into a certain box, just because people think that I’m slaving away, is so weird to me. I’m a working mom who gets to go about her day in a very different way than [someone with] a normal nine-to-five job would,” she explained.

She was asked about the viral reaction to her performance in her videos, some of which have seen her make things such as bubble gum and Coca-Cola from scratch. However, according to Smith, she doesn’t necessarily believe that the videos she makes are a big deal.

“I’m a girly girl. I love dressing up. I love fashion so much,” she said. “Sometimes my outfits aren’t the most practical, but then again fashion isn’t always practical. That’s what I do. I post videos of me cooking for my kids and my husband. It’s really not that deep.”

Despite her busy schedule, throughout her personal and professional life, Smith still acknowledged that she’s not sure how to define what she does for a living.

“I never know what to say when people ask me [what I do], because technically, yes, I create content,” she says. “But then I’m just living my life and sharing that with people, which a lot of people do.”

Smith has previously hit back at the assumptions that have been made about her life, since typing the knot with her husband in 2020. The pair are now parents of three: Rumble Honey, three, Slim Easy, two, and Whimsy Lou Smith, four months.

In a video posted to TikTok in March, Smith first subtly discussed the “tradwife” accusations she’s been hit with while acknowledging that her lifestyle is not for everyone.

“I’ve always wanted to be a young mom because growing up, my dad would always tell us that he regrets having kids later in life,” she said. “So I took that advice and it’s one of the best decisions I could have made, and I know it’s not for everyone.”

She added: “I was always very mature and independent and did a lot of things at a very young age. So I never feel like I’m missing out on any of the partying, any of that, because I’ve done all of that.”

She also addressed some of her viral cooking videos, clarifying that cooking is simply a passion of hers that comes from her interest in wellness.

“I’ve always loved cooking,” she explained. “I just recently, in the past year, have gotten really passionate about it. It all started when I was dealing with really severe eczema and I had to make sure that what I put in my body would be good for my body. And that’s kind of how I got into nutrition and food and cooking.”

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