A "trad wife" is basically an actor playing a role that was created long before she was even born. She only plays this role because she likes the benefits of it, which include men paying for dates before marriage, men essentially taking responsibility for her actions, leading her and so on. It's a trick that "traditional men" don't yet see through.

What "traditional men" don't understand about women is this:

"The narcissist personality is what makes a woman take it as a matter of course that a man should offer goods and services to her for her contribution to their joint sexual pleasure. He gives her pleasure, she gives him pleasure, but he pays..." - Chinweizu Ibekwe

Many women are all about getting goods and services for their contribution to sex with a man which is why men paying for dates and "providing" is such a big deal to them. The connection with another human comes last, the goods and services (resources) come first, and traditional men are so oblivious to this reality, which is why they are "traditional".