When men were men.

[Iggy]

I was cleaning up my computer and found this article which was doing the rounds on email a few years ago. I presume it is genuine.

The question is to the males here. Do you prefer todays independent woman or the women "trainned" as below for a wife? I have not made the poll public, so read on and vote honestly.

The Good Wife Guide (extracts from a 1963 Domestic Science text book)

1. Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return from work. 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 favourite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.

2. Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you will 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 school books, toys, papers etc. and then run a dust cloth over the tables.

3. During the colder 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.

4. Minimise 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.

5. 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. Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquillity where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit. Don't greet him with complaints and problems. Don't complain if he's late home for dinner, or even stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

6. Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange the pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice. Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgement or integrity. Remember he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness.

7. Once he has had a chance to have his evening meal clear the dishes and wash up promptly. If your husband should offer to help decline his offer as he may feel obliged to repeat this offer and after a long working day he does not need the extra work. Encourage your husband to pursue his hobbies and interests and be supportive without seeming to encroach. If you have any little hobbies yourself try not to bore him speaking of these, as women's interests are often rather trivial compared to men's.

8. At the end of the evening tidy the home ready for the morning and again think ahead to his breakfast needs. Your husband's breakfast is vital if he is to face the outside world in a positive fashion. Once you have both retired to the bedroom prepare yourself for bed as promptly as possible. Whilst feminine hygiene is of the utmost importance your tired husband does not want to queue for the bath-room, as he would have to do for his train.

9. Remember to look your best when going to bed. Try to achieve a look that is welcoming without being obvious. If you need to apply face-cream or hair-rollers wait until he is asleep as this can be shocking to a man last thing at night.

10. When it comes to the possibility of intimate relations with your husband it is important to remember your marriage vows and in particular your commitment to obey him. If he feels that he needs to sleep immediately then so be it. In all things be lead by your husband's wishes; do not pressure him in any way to stimulate intimacy. Should your husband suggest congress then accede humbly all the while being mindful that a man's satisfaction is more important than a woman's. When he reaches his moment
of fulfilment a small moan from yourself is encouraging to him and quite sufficient to indicate any enjoyment that you may have had.

11. Should your husband suggest any of the more unusual practices be obedient and uncomplaining but register any reluctance by remaining silent. It is likely that your husband will then fall promptly asleep so adjust your clothing, freshen up and apply your night time face and hair care products. You may then set the alarm so that you can arise shortly before him in the morning. This will enable you to have his morning cup of tea ready when he awakes.

 

[Plotinus]

I remember seeing that article before (don't know if it's genuine or not). But I for one would *not* want a woman like that!

 

[IglooDame]

While I would never suggest that in general it is a woman's proper place to adhere to any particular role in a relationship, if you tone it down a bit it is pretty much how it is in mine, with two exceptions:

"remember his topics of conversation are more important than yours"
"If you have any little hobbies yourself try not to bore him speaking of these, as women's interests are often rather trivial compared to men's."

I vehemently disagree with both of those statements.

 

[Iggy]

Times have changed. No wonder the womens lib movement did so well in the '60s if this is the type of "advice" they were getting.

 

[AceChilla]

Those were the days

 

[Iggy]

If you need to apply face-cream or hair-rollers wait until he is asleep as this can be shocking to a man last thing at night.

I do love that bit!

 

[Zeekater]

Sounds like fun.

 

[The Last Conformist]

I suppose I've been brainwashed by the feminists.

 

[stormbind]

Glen's responses to The Good Wife Guide...

I'm not married so this is going to require some educated guesswork:

1. Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return from work. (especially his favourite dish)

Favourite dish soon turns boring if served frequently and the routine can be obstructive. Cooking skills not required!

2. Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you will 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 school books, toys, papers etc. and then run a dust cloth over the tables.

Good grief. This makes men sound like boring grumpy sods who want a clear seat, pipe, bottle of rum, and a television remote. No thanks! You leave those toys right where they are...

3. During the colder 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.

I agree with part of this passage, because I like a snuggle by the fire - which isn't going to happen while the vacuum is roaring. But, I like lighting the fire!

4. Minimise all noise... Let him talk first, remember his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

I could never live with someone so submissive

5. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner or other places of entertainment without you.

I'm clingy and I know it. She is more likely to complain that I never go anywhere without her

6. Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange the pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice. Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgement or integrity. Remember he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness.

There are loads of things in that entry. The lying down is only good if she joins me, and I like to get the drinks.

7. Once he has had a chance to have his evening meal clear the dishes and wash up promptly. If your husband should offer to help decline his offer as he may feel obliged to repeat this offer and after a long working day he does not need the extra work. Encourage your husband to pursue his hobbies and interests and be supportive without seeming to encroach. If you have any little hobbies yourself try not to bore him speaking of these, as women's interests are often rather trivial compared to men's.

Well, that's completely outdated isn't it

8. At the end of the evening tidy the home ready for the morning and again think ahead to his breakfast needs. Your husband's breakfast is vital if he is to face the outside world in a positive fashion. Once you have both retired to the bedroom prepare yourself for bed as promptly as possible. Whilst feminine hygiene is of the utmost importance your tired husband does not want to queue for the bath-room, as he would have to do for his train.

The best part of waking up with someone, is seeing them softly sleep. Besides, I'm up at 4am and get breakfast at work.

9. Remember to look your best when going to bed. Try to achieve a look that is welcoming without being obvious. If you need to apply face-cream or hair-rollers wait until he is asleep as this can be shocking to a man last thing at night.

Indeed

10. When it comes to the possibility of intimate relations with your husband it is important to remember your marriage vows and in particular your commitment to obey him. If he feels that he needs to sleep immediately then so be it. In all things be lead by your husband's wishes; do not pressure him in any way to stimulate intimacy. Should your husband suggest congress then accede humbly all the while being mindful that a man's satisfaction is more important than a woman's. When he reaches his moment of fulfilment a small moan from yourself is encouraging to him and quite sufficient to indicate any enjoyment that you may have had.

I thought the 60s were supposed to be exciting

11. Blah, blah, blah... You may then set the alarm so that you can arise shortly before him in the morning.

I sleep lightly. That alarm would make me really groggy!

---

In conclusion, life for me was either very different in the 60s, or women were slaves to a bunch of weirdoes

Though not in every detail, I think there are quite a few things I prefer about life in the 21st Century.

 

[shortguy]

I suppose I've been brainwashed by the feminists.

Me too. Sounds so...boring...I want someone who can keep me on my toes!

 

[Hitro]

Any such woman would be totally unattractive to me. But then again...

I suppose I've been brainwashed by the feminists.

 

[Fetus4188]

I wouldn't want a wife like that but I would like her to be a housewife.

 

[joycem10]

Cant there be a middle point. Why only the two extremes?

 

[stormbind]

Cant there be a middle point. Why only the two extremes?

Wasn't my reply more centrist? I was reluctant to vote for a completely independent woman.

 

[Iggy]

Cant there be a middle point. Why only the two extremes?

That the kind of guy I am. No sitting on the fence.

Seriously, for the sake of the poll I felt it would be more fun to have one extreme against the norm. In my book I do not consider a modern woman as an extreme.

 

[Fifty]

That scenario would be nice like maybe on father's day or something, but I wouldn't want a little drone wife all year round!

 

[punkbass2000]

I think there's at least one option that wouldn't be fence-sitting, though it depends on how you're defining the first option. IF 'independent' inherently means "having their own career" then I would be unable to vote for either choice. I have gone ahead and selected the first choice anyway, as I'm interpreting 'independent' as meaning making their own decisions, including what's described (well, maybe not to that extent) and generally being a housewife. I want a modern woman in the sense that I want one who will do what she wants, regardless of whether her choice is "modern" or "archaic", per se. BTW, I am (for all intents and purposes) married, and I'm in a dead-end restaurant job and she's a third-year Phil/French major, destined for prof-hood or some such

 

[Mise]

I don't like people fussing over me, but it would be nice once in a while.

 

[El Justo]

i've been promising to send my wife to Stepford, CT for a complete overhaul ;-)

 

[Goober]

LOL, is this genuine?

I imagine that it is a joke, but it does sound like something that could be genuine for this time. Funny either way. I hope nobody actually had to serve in a kind of bondage like this.