This sounds like your typical magazine article: take some common sense run-of-the-mill stuff, and blow it way out of proportion, and then publish it. The kernel of truth in this applies to all relationships and for either gender, e.g. don't be a downer when your spouse walks in the door; make dinner plans if you know your spouse has had a long day; be sympathetic to whatever pressures your spouse is feeling. Basically, be thoughtful toward your spouse, whether man or wife.
But just saying "be thoughtful to your husband" would be very uninteresting to their readers, so I imagine they spiced it up...a lot. I'm with you on not being able to imagine that very many people actually lived this way. It sounds like the 50's version of a cosmo article titled "How to Spice Up Your Sex Life in Ten Easy Steps," or one of those weird Vogue articles outlining some "stylish" celebrity's house, to inspire us normal people by the intrigue of the freakishness of being an extremist. The pages might look glossy, but nobody carries these crazy ideas into their real life.
I will say that the "have food on the table when he gets home" thing was a real pressure. When I talk to my grandma on the phone at supper time she will keep asking me, "Is dinner done? I know your husband must be coming home soon." I always tell her not to worry about it. He is not expecting restaurant service, or service at all.
How did this turn into such a long comment? My comments are few and far between, but once you get me started I just don't stop typing.
Howdy ginnyannette! You made my week, I prompted a rare comment from the great one! lol. Thanks so much for taking the time, I know you're busy following your own list and that would make a great post. You know, to have a REAL house wive's list of practical ways to make things work in TODAY'S marriage. I would truly love that.
Sex was not on the list, not even mentioned, but that had to have been near the top even back then. I was real tempted to put in my own comments about it. lol.
That is so interesting about your Grandmother! God bless her. That's the first confirmation that at least part of the list was accurate. Well, I agree, and hope, that this was just an exaggerated article written to be an attention getter.
@ginnyannette, shouldn't you be...
and
No time for lengthy blog-comments.
Just kidding - Blame janton
One of the annoying things about my husband is that he grew up poor eating beans and rice, so he doesn't have a favorite meal. He likes everything. The man is a garbage disposal. "What do you want to eat on your birthday?" I always get: "I don't know."
Then we have the feet issue. The man is weird about his feet. No one gets near his feet. And he's a perfectionist, so my pillow fluffing would never meet the strict standards. If I spoke softly he'd say, "Did you lose your voice? Don't get too close, I don't want to catch the virus. "
It's not my fault I can't be a good wife. The man just doesn't know how to stick to proper 1950s standards. Sigh.
He sounds like someone I know...He must be a champ! 😊
I answer "I don't know" because if I say what I really want, she will disagree.
Lol. I don't think that is the case with my husband, but I suppose I can't be sure.