A friend of mine sent this to me via email a while back, and I had to snort and snicker while reading it. This was actually published in home economicsschool textbooks in the 1950s in preparing young girls to be good wives to their husbands when they got married around the age of 20 — this was the norm. If you notice, it is all about sacrificing yourself for the man. His needs come first.
The running motif here is “woman, be silent”. Thank goodness we are not required to act this way anymore. I don’t know what kind of wife I make, but I am more concerned about what kind of woman I am and what kind of parent I am to my children. And for all that it’s worth, I am not silent about anything. I don’t think anyone should be — man, woman, or child.
What about you? What kind of wife are you?
I say pretty much the same. Except, I am not struggling with my husband to pick up after himself. He’s pretty good about that. It’s my 19 year old daughter who thinks she has a live maid and cook. Dragging her boyfriend over to eat for dinner almost every day. Then running. But, I told my husband before we got married, you are not marrying Joan Cleaver or Betty Crocker. I will cook and clean. But, baking is a rare occasion. The laundry gets done when I have time to do it. Ahhh… the joys of being a mother & a wife.
Terry, my kids too. Always picking up after them, turning off lights, picking up jackets — but they’re small. Gotta start early. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Actually, both are kind of scary! I think I relate more to the second one though.
Hi Danielle! Long time no hear. How are you! I know. I was trying to be glib about it. Whatever it is today, I’m so glad it’s not like the 1950s. I don’t know how I would behave if I had lived during that time — although I would have been in Greece…
Hi Marina!
I think I’m missing something. I don’t see the e-mail. Where is it?
I see your responses and I definitely get it. When I was a SAHM my husband was very insensitive to my need for breaks — he was probably just as the home econ class would have taught. But once I went to work out of the house he has been awesome. Just great! I feel I have balance right now.
Mama’s happy, so you know what means…we are all happy.
Heather, this is so true. Mom has to be happy in order for everyone to be happy. If she’s unhappy, then she cannot manage anyone else’s feelings. And I think it would be better here too if I were working full time. There would be more equality between us. Until then…