Nostalgia trip! Does anyone remember?

Question

"The good wife's guide" This is an actual article from the Housekeeping Monthly Magazine 13 May 1955

=> Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. 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 prospect of a good meal (especially his favorite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.
=> Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you’ll 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 for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.
=> Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives.

=> Gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper, etc. and then tables.
=> Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.
=> 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. Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer, or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.
=> Be happy to see him.
=> Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.

=> Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first-remember his topics of conversation are more important than yours.
=> Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.
=> Your goal: to make sure your home is a place of peace, order, and tranquility where your husband can renew himself.
=> Don’t greet him with complaints and problems.
=> Don’t complain if he’s late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as a minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.
=> Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a chair or have him 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 low, soothing and pleasant voice.
=> Don’t ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.
=> A good wife always knows her place.


After reading these "guides" it is only a wonder to me that most men of this generation have been able to accept the changes that "women's liberation" spawned in their wives.

Of course, if you had a man trying to stipulate these rules in a marriage today, there would be no need for divorces....

There'd just be a lot more funerals!

Well, Goldwing I expect that Navy wives manual got shoved up a few ---es?

And Cranky, my home was more like yours...my Mom working to help support us (as well as my Dad) and me stepping in to do most everything else from the age of 12 on. I always regretted that I didn't have a "normal" childhood, when I saw all my friends heading out on dates and getting jobs at the neighbourhood diner to earn pocket money. Do you feel the same?

Answer 1

I had four children so when I wasn't working I did all of those wifey things for my ex-husband. I once read that if dinner was
running late to hurry and have the table all set etc so that when the man came home, he would not feel like you wern't working hard, so I used to do that. I also used to, if the kids were playing in the house, when I heard him pull in the driveway, have the kids run into their rooms, turn the music down and be quiet. Another thing I did, I would take a grapefruit all ready to eat ( with salt on it) coffee and toast to him in bed most every morning before he got up. I always made sure I was all fixed up when he got home too. I thought that was what I was supposed to do back then.

Answer 2

Back in "those days" our house was never like that. I had a working Mom, as well as, a working Dad. They both had a great respect for one another. It taught me a lot about what home really means and time management in order to be with family, care for their needs and have my needs cared for.

Later in that decade, my Mom started having real health problems. Because I had been raised the way that I was, I helped around the house, did the shopping, laundry, the things that she could not do, and still managed to get my education.

While I was a military wife, I tried this type of homecoming for my husband, in the 70's and before long, he wasn't coming home at night.

Could be....maybe....I was doing everything backward, time wise!

Oh well, I'm not planning on going back to find out.

Answer 3

Yah my mother always had The Ladies Home Journal which was chock full of advise on how a "good little slave" should treat her husband. No wonder this whole generation discoved vodka and valium - remember "Valley of the Dolls"?

My mother was a very angry mean woman and who can blame her? Trying to stifle her brain and opinion and become a Stepford Wife.

Thank God our generation had the sense and courage to say "thanks but no thanks" and started banging on corporate doors instead.

I LIKE "nesting" creating a comfortable little sanctuary for me to escape the world in, I like cooking, sometimes, I like baking sometimes, I sew, I liked doing stuff with my kids, but not 24/7, and that could never be all there was.

I also liked having a career and choices. Spending my day with adults, stimulating conversation, career challenges, making money honey - of my own.

IF I treat a man well it will be because I WANT to not because I feel I HAVE to - and I expect as much back as I give - and good luck ever trying to get me to NOT share my opinions and offer my experience in a conversation.

I was never purely decorative .

Answer 4

There would be a lot more funerals. I had seen some of those tips. Maybe this was like this before WW2, but not much after. I don't ever remember seeing this anywhere. Maybe Housekeeping had seen the change, and were trying to change it back. But even before, I didn't see this happen with my grandparents. So maybe the idealistic life didn't happen.

Answer 5

lol.I do remember my Mother doing this. I am not that way but since i do not work out of the home i have always tried to keep the house picked up (not dusting) and a hot meal except on Fridays and Saturdays.

This brings back so many TV shows and real life. thanks for the trip down memory lane.I am older than i thought.

By the way,there would be allot more funerals too.

Answer 6

If you think this is ridiculous (it is), you should see the old manual that navy wives were given by the US Navy! Not only were all the above included, but drinking was promoted! Unbelievable.
PS: My MOTHER NEVER read this manual or the one you have offered! I can just see this now! Oh, boy!

Answer 7

Aside from June Cleaver and the mom on Father Knows Best, I don't know anyone who was like that my family never fell into that catagory. I must have been abducted by aliens if that was the norm....

Oh now I have finally found an excuse!

Answer 8

Amen to that. We've come a long way Baby!!!.
It sounds like a "Father knows best" show, remember them.
High heels and a dress, with pearl necklace, cooking dinner, or cleaning house. Hallelujah, we've been liberated!!!

Answer 9

And little did they know back then that all a man wants is some cold beer and to see something nekked !!!! hahahaha !!

Answer 10

I saw this on the History channel. My mother definitely didn't do these things.