They should be. I don't know being a housewife ever got a bad rap. In many ways, they have a harder job than the husband, keeping up with all the work around the house while raising a family. But the husband can't do it, he is gone all day working a job. But the wife usually can't hold the job, her hands are full, and she needs to be around the house all day.
Could a woman care for the house, raise the kids and work at home too? Probably, but I wouldn't want to do all of that alone. Plus a lot of stuff comes up around the house that guys are inherently good for to take care of, so it seems that nature has a pretty good system laid out.