This is an extract from a 1950's Home Economics textbook entitled 'The Good Wive's Guide' (interestingly enough, written by a woman) This section is called 'Women - Look, listen and take heed'.......

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 ben 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 favourite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.

PREPARE YOURSELF
Take 25 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make up, put a ribbon in you 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 clitter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. Gather up school books, toys papers etc and then run a dustcloth over the tables.

OVER THE COOLER MONTHS
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 their 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.

MINIMISE ALL NOISE
At hte time of his arrival, eliminate all noise from the washer, dryer and 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 see him. Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him. 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
Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquility where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit. Don't greet him with complaints and problems. Don' complain if he's late for dinner or even stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he may have gone through that day.

MAKE HIM COMFORTABLE
Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or 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 soothing voice. Don't ask questions about his actions or integrity.

HE IS THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE AND AS SUCH WILL ALWAS EXERCISE HIS WILL WITH FAIRNESS. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO QUESTION HIM. REMEMBER.....A GOOD WIFE ALWAYS KNOWS HER PLACE

:D :D :D :D

liberty

What an interesting planet that must be.....!
:D

Edit: Or Stepford??

I'm shocked - you mean you both dont do this anyway ?????
:D :D :D
Funny how things change as I'm trying to train my Stu to do all this for ME !!!!! :)
If only.........
Lel

Oh My god, I think I am going to stay single for good now, as \i can't hope to be a good wife. I did all the don't s with my ex hubby, and decided to get rid of him in the end. I was 26 then, and now 13 years later enjoy my freedom to not dust or pander to any other adults needs but my own.

<<<<Don' complain if he's late for dinner or even stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he may have gone through that day.>>>>>>

More like -count it as minor to what he is gonna get when he DOES come home !!! :D :D
Lel

My Grandmother was Widowed at the very end of the war in Poland. I asked her why she never temarried, and she said she didn't want to be, and have her children, ruled by some man. I alsways thought it a strange position, but having read this, if that was really what was expected of a woman at theis time I can understand her reasoning. she was a firce3ly independant and very able woman.

'Himself' thought it all sounded wonderful........then he woke up.

In the 50s in America at the height of the "woman's place is in the home" fever, the authorities seriously considered changing the higher educational opportunities available to woman from standard science and arts based courses to diplomas in homemaking and the like. It's not surprising that the 50s also saw a massive rise in the number of women taking anti-depressants and tranquilizers ...

I love the bit about "be a little gay and make life more interesting for him" Very modern!! :D

Women......Know your place!...........................and pigs might fly;)

Stacey x x x

I bought Mrs B a copy of that book years ago.
She read it!!!!! :)
The surgical procedure for getting it removed from where she inserted it, still brings tears to my eyes :rolleyes: :D

BB

I think there are two words to follow this, and the second one is off.

Julia & Hooligans

:D :D

Just been told why women have smaller feet than men---so they can get closer to the kitchen sink!!

Hmmm. One smart-arse customer told me some years ago that the only reason women worked in offices was because they had been unable to teach sheep to type.

Needless to say that his order was very late, and I have never really been as helpful as I could to him!!!!!!

Much as we may mock this, the divorce rate was a lot lower back in those days.

Yes, because women didn't have the means or the rights to get out of bad situations:(

When divorce became more easily available the powers that be worried that lots of men would seek to divorce and abandon their wives. I suppose because Men generally strayed from their marriage wows more frequently.

It has actually come to pass that most Divorce petions are instigated by Wome, who are no longer prepared to stay in intolerable situations.

Yes Joyce, but the number of women taking valium rocketed. :)

It makes for absolutely incredible reading! I do agree that things used to be much more simple, less divorce, break ups, abandoned children etc. As long as women accepted their place & coped with the fact that they were second rate citizens then the system worked incredibly well.

But I guess women woke up one day & finally realised that men were not more important or intelligent than us & we deserved a life outside of the home too. It's bought us a whole bunch of trouble but once the worm can was open, there was no going back.

Every time I interview domestic violence offenders, it is apparent that these men, varying in ages from 17-70, are still of the opinion that women should know their place - and their place is to stay at home & look after them & the kids. When the women step out of line, they slap them down again. They are unable to cope with the idea that their wife is an equal.

Maybe we shouldn't have woken up. If lads as young as 17 still firmly believe that women need disciplining by their hand then I can't see a light at the end of tunnel of when this breed will ever die out.

Lady G - The Devil's Advocate.

I have always wondered how this attitude still persists in these young men who are brought up by modern, often lone mothers????

But as we know the women don't even have to step put of line to be slapped back down!!

My father was never physical with my mother, but mentally he did his best to ruin her. She divorced him when I was 7. On the one hand he would throw money at me, and on the other (as I got older) call me a whore in front of friends. He belived he was making a better person of me (as his father had done to him).

I firmly believe that we have strayed far to far away from respect and basic discipline. If I went home from school and told my parents I had been in trouble, they would have wanted to know why and doubled the punishment. Now the parents go to the school and abuse the teachers. Kids learn that they can do it too and so it goes on.....

However, none of the above means that I believe in beating kids (or anyone else) to solve the problems.

I spent 8 years in an abusive marraige and truly believe its something which is taught.My ex's father beat his mother and his brothers beat their wives.Since I have 3 sons and a daughter I got out to break the cycle.
I now have a wonderful husband-yes I married again -who supports me 100% in all I do and raises my 4 kids as his own.He even puts up with my elkhound fur carpet!!!
I think women now realise that we have the same rights as men and I find it very sad that this sort of thing was expected of my grandmother and other female ancestors-don't give a flying **** about divorce rate-I've learnt from experience every one should be treated with respect and no one should stay in a relationship because society says they have to.
Archer

My ex and his father are both Alcoholics. In fact my inlaws divorced but got back together at intervals, and now in later life.

When we married my ex hated his father because of the hard time his Mother had. Sadly my nother in law was of the opinion that it was a womans lot in life to put up with the crap!

Five years into my marriage things had gotten so bad with his drinking (and then infidelity) that I vowed I would not allow my kids to be brought up expecting no better.

I am still single after nearly 13 years!

Bet youre happy though!!
We dont need a man to keep us happy despite what they think

Theres a difference between need and want.I am happily married because I choose to be -I do not need a man(although they come in handy for some things!!).Don't beleive in that 'love at first sight' stuff-took me a long time to even LIKE my husband-thought he was really scarey when I first met him.Now I know hes just a big pussy cat who looks like a big hairy biker!!LOL
Archer.

Good for you Brainless! Takes big courage to make that sort of decision. :)

A wife was a bit worried about her sex life with her husband so bought him a book on it for Christmas. In the New Year, she asked him if he had picked up any tips which would help make things a little more satisfactory.

Yes, he said, I read that if the woman moaned at the right time that might help.

So, when things were going well later that night, his wife whispered, Is this the moment, Shall I start now?

Yes he replied in a husky voice. Now.

Right, said the wife. When are you going to paint the outside door and why do you always leave me to do all of the washing up?

:D

Like it!

"LETS DO DIY"

Woman:- "Come on darling its DIY time!! We'll start by putting shelves up"
Man:- "Do it yourself"

Woman:- "Lets wallpaper the hall"
Man:- "Do it yourself"

Woman:" Now lets redecorate the lounge"
Man:- "Do it yourself"

Woman:- "Now I've done that, can you helpo me put the new kitchen floor down"
Man:- "Do it yourself"

Later:-

Man:- "Whew, that a big improvement, you've finished all the DIY. Lets go upstairs for abit of you know what ;)"
Woman:- "DO IT YOURSELF"

My wife must have read this somewhere as this is exactly how she treats me.

Mick

BB and I have been together now for 31 years (29 married), and I've never had a cross word from him.
I'd kill him if he did. :D

It's a join effort, and both have to make that effort. If not its bound to fail, or worse.
He's put up with me through thick and thin, and I with him.
There's been time when I didn't like him, but I guess I still loved him. (sloppy eh?)
I'd like to say he's the same now as when I asked him to marry me (if I'd have waited for him I would still be waiting). The fact is he's actually slimmer now, where as nature and gravity have had more effect on me.

Gosh I'm waffling

Sandra

Ahh that is so nice Sandra ! :) Did you have a nice birthday by the way ??

My first husband was a different kettle of fish and spent ten years of mental abusive towards me which turned into Physical at the end. He always tried to put me down and made made my self estem rock bottom I woke up one morning though and decided enough was enough and told him it was over and got him to move out! The best thing I ever did !

Now happily married again to a most wonderful man, 9 and a half weeks away from having our first(and last !) baby together !:D Couldn't be happier !

My moral is if you are not happy be brave and get out of it as there is a happier life somewhere for you !

Lucy

I wish my sister-in-law could read your post Lucy.

Why ??

Lucy

Should have said step sister before

After years of testing it was found that he had the problem with fertility not her.

When she was pregnant with the first child the husband hit her for not having mowed the grass.

Because of his constant pressure for sex, she has recently had a second child. She has a slipped disc which requires an operation, a liver complaint and thyroid problems. He expects her to keep house, look after the kids, wash and maintain the car, do all the gardening including the mowing. Her verbally abuses her at every turn and has now started on the older child.

Last week the child repeated something exceedingly unsavoury to her grandfather (his father) who had a go at him. He in turn picked a major fight at home.

If they go any where - and I mean anywhere - his parents go too. Last year, whilst she was pregnant, they came down here for a few days to see her father (my step father). Whilst here she collapsed. He and his family insisted she was being silly and wanted to take her back to the caravan, and it was a devil of a job to get her taken to hospital.

He's a bxxxxxd and she ought to leave him. However,I realise that it is exceedingly difficult with 2 children.

It was your comment about waking up and realiseing there is something much better "out there".

Oh Julia

It makes me so mad when I hear this. Have you been able to speak to her alone ? She sounds although she is at rock bottom and will be unable to realise she can do it as she probably feels she is on her own.There will be so much help and support out there for her, she can do it. I had my daughter and the dogs and did it !

He sounds a right B88tard as you have said, and does sound very much like the situation as I was in but mine was not as bad. I wish I could talk to her as I would be able to make her realise that she can do it for the sake of her and the kids. They need to get out.

Lucy

You can get to the stage where you feel so low that you almost beleive you don't deserve any better, and that the treatment is your fault for not being good enough.

It usually takes a last straw to get out, I just hope it isn't anything too bad when it does happen. If you can get her to see that she can go it alone and get support then it might just give ther the courage.

For me it was realising the efect it could have on the kids lives that made me do it.

And then there is the modern version-

This is an extract from a 2003s Home Economics textbook entitled Cindys Guide to a Good Husband' (interestingly enough, written by a woman) This section is called 'Women - Look, listen and take heed'.......

HAVE DINNER READY
Yeah, right, if you could be bothered off to buy the takeout. If not, get him to do it. After all its a hard life sitting at home eating choccies and watching soaps.

PREPARE YOURSELF
Put underarm deodorant on

BE A LITTLE GAY
as if every man doesn't want to watch this!

OVER THE COOLER MONTHS
Greet him at the door wearing a full lenght flannel nightgown that is as attractive as a potato sack.

PREPARE THE CHILDREN
Add carrots, a bit or garlis, and roast for around 20 minutes.

MAXIMISE ALL NOISE
Punk Rock is alwasy a welcome change. So is screaming at the kids.

BE HAPPY TO SEE HIM
Thank god he can now take over the kids and listen as you complain about how boring your friends are.

MAKE THE EVENING YOURS
Flog the remote control and only watch girly movies. Program the tv to turn off if it is put on football.

YOUR GOAL
WE have goals? UMMMM, to not kill the kids and maybe have enough energy to give him...oh never mind, I'm too tired.

MAKE HIM COMFORTABLE
All men are comfortable propped against the kitchen sink with a tea towel in their hands. Only women are comfortable in lounge chairs.

HE IS THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE AND AS SUCH WILL ALWAS EXERCISE HIS WILL WITH FAIRNESS. AND AS LONG AS HE BELIEVES THAT, YOU CAN KEEP RIGHT ON FOOLIN HIM.

Natalie

hope one day i can love someone as much as my dog's love me

Ive said it before.

Wumin weans n dugs. Its no rocket science you know.

Mick