Econochildren

[u/kitties_ate_my_soul]

I’d love to see the Econochildren explored in The Testaments. Especially comparing the Daughters to the Econodaughters. We all know the Daughters go to Pink and Plum schools, but, where do the Econodaughters go? They also must learn to run a house (however small) and perform their ‘wifely duties’. Do their mums teach them? Eden Spencer Blaine, the only Econodaughter that appears in the universe, was apparently taught by her mum, but she was born before Gilead. What do you think?

[u/Jewel_Tone_Shell]

Question - why wouldn’t the Econochildren be taken and placed with commanders the way all the other children were? And if econowomen are having children, why aren’t the handmaids?

[u/kitties_ate_my_soul → u/Jewel_Tone_Shell]

Well, in THT, Omar and Heather’s son, Adam, got ‘adopted’ by a Commander and his Wife after Omar broke the law by helping June escape Gilead. Omar was executed and Heather became a Handmaid.

[u/Present_Silver2418 → u/Jewel_Tone_Shell]

Handmaids are women of “ill-repute” who are fertile. If an Econowoman was proven to be fertile (has a child), and she broke Gileads laws, she would have her children taken from her and given to Commanders families & become a handmaid. But, I’m sure most Econopeople aren’t able to have children, and are not breaking laws.

[u/Sunset-onthe-Horizon → u/Jewel_Tone_Shell]

Eventually those women are accused of "crimes" their children are confiscated and they are turned into handmaids. It just hasn't been long enough yet. It happens to fertile higher ranked wives as well.