What Not To Say To Your Husband

Previously published in Examiner

Conclusion of the good housewife series

Here is the final point of what not to say to your husband

Point 3

The evening should be his. Don't complain if he never takes you out for dinner, or takes you out anywhere for that matter, try to understand he has had a hard time at work and he needs to be in the sanctuary of his home to relax and unwind.

"The Goal: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit."

This Montreal women's issues examiner's final thoughts

Here we have the school system teaching young girls how to become good housewives, but where did they teach them how to become young women with brains and needs of their own? This whole good housewife model was for the man. Not one need of the woman was ever considered. The woman was just a maid and babysitter. She had no life of her own. She was there to serve her husband's bidding. He was king of the castle and she was his servant and bed mate.

This commentary is not intended to take away from the housewife it is an important role and one of the most important roles in life. However, it is important to bring to awareness that although a Montreal and North American woman were doing this role in the 1950's and doing it well, they did not have a life of their own. What was there for women to do besides take care of the house, husband, and children? They had to plan when they could talk to their husband about serious home matters. Where was the spontaneity, where was the normal family life of each person just being him or herself? Why did women have to find just the right time to speak to their husbands; their soul mates? Why were women's needs not as important as their husband's? Why were women second-class citizens? Finally who cared if the women were happy as long as their husbands were?

We will find out in the next installment that one suburban housewife, Betty Friedan cared if the American suburban middle class housewife was happy because she lived that life and wrote about it in her classic book, The feminine Mystique.

Sources:

http://jade.ccccd.edu/grooms/goodwife.htm