How old is that historical context?  Most women have always worked and contributed economically to the upkeep of the family, except for about 15 minutes in the middle of the 20th C after WWII. What women have done has changed from era to era and place to place, but the idea that all they did was childrear, clean and cook (as opposed to primary food preparation like making cheese and butter) is an anomaly as far as I can tell.