14 Ways To Please Your Husband…The 1950’s Way

My aunt sent me an interesting article that was written in May of 1955 for Housekeeping Monthly.  It was called The Good Wife’s Guide and it contained the ‘rules’ that a good wife should follow for her husband.  My husband and I had quite a laugh at the various ways a wife must please her husband.  Here are a few of the points I liked the most:

1.  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 be thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they get home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed. – Now, don’t get me wrong, I like to have a good meal ready, but I have that good meal ready more for me and not so much for him.  If I left it up to him, we would eat pizza or mac and cheese every night…

2.  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. – I totally agree!  I would love to take care of my daughter, look nice and get a chance to take a 15 minute nap everyday…if only it were the 1950’s!

3.  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. – What if my boring day needs a lift?

4. Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. Run a dustcloth over the tables. – Sadly, I do this.  I try to keep the house clean for both of ours sanity.

5. During 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 to his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction. – I only keep a lit fire because my dog likes to lay in front of it and that is the only way to keep her from bugging me!  And catering to his comfort will only give me immense satisfaction if it will convince him to buy me a new purse.

6. Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Encourage the children to be quiet. – Don’t we all want the kids to be quite and the laundry done?

7. Be happy to see him. – I would think this would be a given even for now…

8. 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. – Don’t Speak Until You’re Spoken To…yeah right!

9. Don’t greet him with complaints and problems. – What if that is all I have to talk about?

10. Don’t complain if he’s late for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through at work. – “No honey, you can stay out all night drinking and womanizing.  I don’t mind, you probably had a bad day…”

11. Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or lie him down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. – “I already had 3 rum and cokes, would you like one too?”

12. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice. – Isn’t this what his mistress is for?

13. 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. – I don’t even know what to say to this…

14. A good wife always knows her place. – I promise to repeat this to myself every time I question him.