Monday, December 6, 2004

You've Come a Long Way, Baby!

I am posting this here to find out your reactions. I stole the slogan from Virginia Slims for my subject heading. I think it is apropos.

How to be a good wife

The following is from a 1950's Home Economics textbook intended for the High School girls, teaching how to prepare for married life.
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1. Have dinner ready: Plan ahead, even the night before, to have
a delicious meal - on time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him, and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospects of a good meal are part of the warm welcome needed.

2. Prepare yourself: Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.

3. Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc. Then run a dust cloth over the tables. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too.

4. Prepare the children: Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces if they are small, comb their hair, and if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.

5. Minimize the noise: At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of washer, dryer, dishwasher, or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet. Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and be glad to see him.

6. Some DON'TS: Don't greet him with problems or complaints. Don't complain if he's late for dinner. Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day.

7. Make him comfortable: Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soft, soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax and unwind.

8. Listen to him: You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the
moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first.

9. Make the evening his: Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment; instead try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his need to be home and relax.

10. The Goal: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can relax.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

WEll I kind of do alot of these naturally on my own. But I dont put a bow in my hair. I mean though if I dont look good when he comes home well the women at work sure are not dressed frumpy so I got to keep his attention here you know food and looking good though I do have my bum days < is a nice way to keep his eye onme. Lori

Anonymous said...

LOL  this is funny! i definately am NOT a june cleaver! this is a great post...i am sure glad my husband doesnt expect things to be this way at our home when he gets home! ok, maybe a few i might do kind of...but not all of them!! thanks for sharing this with us..

linda
http://journals.aol.com/lindainspokane/LifewithLinny

Anonymous said...

Mmmm Hmmm .... I'll get right on that!
     
            *** Coy ***


http://journals.aol.com/coy1234787/Dancingintherain

Anonymous said...

Hmmmmm...... Phhhhhhhhht!!!!! <LOL> Yeah, that's how I spend my day! I can't wait to show G. this list!!
http://journals.aol.com/astaryth/AdventuresofanEclecticMind

Anonymous said...

I've seen this before, but it's always nice to have a good chuckle over it again.  I think my husband would like nothing better than for times to return back to these types of rules...

http://journals.aol.com/karensull12/Therantingsofasecretwildwoman

Anonymous said...

Hmmm I'll get right on this list! Thank you for stopping by my journal, I really appreciate it! I've gone through your journal and think it's great, I'll be back! Have a great week
Rebecca

Anonymous said...

We sure have come a long way, baby!

Jeff usually gets in before I, so when I walk in the door, it is sometimes like walking in to an amusment park. We have 5 children between us, between the ages of 13 and 4 who tend to become quiet excited as we come home. The rules that work for Jeff and I are, whoever comes in first, gets the kids settled with homework and starts dinner. We do just about all the chores in the house together. Makes it easier and we really do have fun together.  We make sure that in this busy life we lead, we always make time for each other. We feed the children first and hang out in the kitchen with them to talk about everyone's day. After their dinner, we clean up, send the children to different floors. Boys usually go upstairs and the girls go down to their bedroom. That leaves the main floor of the house quiet and then we sit and have our dinner together.
We both know and understand that it isn't one's job or another's and we both are well aware that we each lead very stressful, very busy, very high pressured lives outside of our home. We try to leave all that at the door and it seems to work very well for us.

Anonymous said...

Um long list for me not a wife so can not do all but girlfriend thing I suspose who knows blowing through here just to say hello