Marching to the beat of her own drum?

Alright… well eventually I want to get back to the subject of Beth because I am really interested in her character, but I stumbled on a quote that is taking priority. On page 367, Mrs. March is talking to Meg about her trouble with John. She says, “…I’d try to take an interest in whatever John likes- talk with him, let him read to you, exchange ideas, and help each other in that way. Don’t shut yourself up in a bandbox because you are a woman, but understand what is going on, and educate yourself to take part in the world’s work, for it all affects you and yours.”
I feel like she is saying two different things in this statement. I feel like she starts off by telling Meg that it doesn’t really matter what she is interested in. She should talk about and push herself to be involved in what her husband wants. Then, she turns her statement to say that what John is interested in, politics and the world, is something she should be curious about because it directly affects her as a woman. On one end, she seems to be pushing a male- dominated relationship or at least is telling Meg to make her husband think that he is in control like when she tells Meg to “let” him. Then, she seems to be saying that women need to be worldly and develop opinions about politics, which seem like characteristics of a strong person, not a submissive one.