By Eve on Aug 19, 2007 in Relationships
Blah… I found an article at wikiHow about how to be a good housewife. I found it to be pretty funny. Take this for example:
Make sure you have meals on the table at a regular time. This doesn’t necessarily mean the moment he walks in the door, since many men work different shifts. However, if he knows he can depend on you to feed him at a certain time, then he’ll be much happier. If you learn how to cook, he’ll be much happier, but if you’re experimenting with a new recipe having a back-up microwaveable dinner just in case is always a good idea.
I would like to know how many women do this, not in the sense that you cook dinner everyday, but in the sense that you have to to be a good housewife? I usually have dinner on the table shortly after my husband walks in but if he ever tells me it is a requirement, well, he would need to figure out how to feed himself.
Another section of the article runs true, being a housewife is something we enter into knowing, for the most part what the division of labor is. I also agree that if the woman is at home and the man works, your job is to look after the house, but I strongly disagree with the man being completely free of everything home related. For example, my husbands ‘home chores’ include the dishes and the trash, and occasionally taking the laundry to the laundry mat, but we usually do that together.
My job is the rest of the house, keeping it clean, as well as managing the budget. Once a week I open up the budget program and sit him down to show him where the money is going and why. I am the only one that ‘messes with’ the budget, if he wants to change something, or spend extra, he tells me and I make the appropriate changes, it isn’t that I am taking ‘control’ we just found that if he goes in and changes something and does not tell me, it can get scary, and the budget fails because the change was done twice or in different ways.
In closing, I think that in order to be a good housewife you need to communicate you needs as well as try to fulfill his needs.
I totally agree with you!
I think it is a little more complicated now, and for reasons that are a big plus for women these days… but on the same hand… I do think that the “art” of being a housewife, homemaker etc is becoming lost – ironically much because of our own attitudes as women – being the “hub of the family” has become something to mock and utter in amused tones.
But the reality is that a homemaker/housewife contributes so much to a family unit, giving the kids stability that is too uncommon these days, giving a marriage a good base of caring and love – of course which must be reciprocated in a corresponding manner.
Not to say that it even necessarily HAS to be the women doing the “woman” things anymore, but someone should be doing them, and in the “hurry up”, “me” world of today, it often just isn’t happening anymore. (economics certainly don’t help, prices for basic staples are ridiculous now, but on the same hand, what we consider necessities are so often not necessary)
Personally, although my kids are 10, 14 and 17 and I’ve spent the last 8 years hustling with a home business, I am looking at simplifying and going back to the days where a housewife/homemaker was a much more charished, important and productive part of the family and society, and putting a much bigger focus on that.
That was a large part of why I started the Queen of KAOS, because it is so easy for life and our priorities to get out of hand and to loose site of the important things. I lived that and wouldn’t wish it on anyone, so I want to share what I have learned.
My website is http://www.queenofkaos.com
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thanks Krystle!
such great points Janice! I completely agree! Thanks!
[...] of a Housewife posted this really great article today with her thoughts after reading a wiki about How to be a Good Housewife. (For the record, I really like the name of Eve’s blog ~ I just don’t like being [...]
[...] presents How to be a Good Housewife posted at Confessions of an Everyday [...]
What really irks me is that many people (sometimes including our husbands) no longer view (as opposed to a half a century ago) that being a housewife/homemaker is a actual occupation thinking we just sit and eat bon-bons all day, and the house magically cleans itself, and the laundry does itself. Get real.
Since this website is generally populated by homemakers who have embraced their role and are looking to improve, it does not address those homemakers who do a poor job and have no idea how to improve. Any suggestions from all you seemingly successful homemakers on how to get a poorly trained homemaker to clean and cook consistently? I am tired of cleaning up after her and the kids when I come home from work and I know others with the same issue.
Base on my experience one of the toughest job on earth is to become a housewife. But no matter how hard it is as long as you are we happy being together, serving your husband, and your kids the hardships just fade away. Because you loved them and you will do everything to attend to their needs. But don’t forget to also take good care of yourself. When I do the household chores, like laundry, washing the dishes it is very tiring at some point but it’s so rewarding when you see your family laugh, hug and kisses me and told me that I’m the best mom and wife. Nice article. Thanks for posting.
thank you! I am glad you liked it!
I am a full time house wife. I have an 18 yr.old girl getting ready to graduate,a 4yr old son, and a two yr. old girl. I feel as though I have always got three different worlds going on not to mention being a wife. I was at one time, the bread winner and now I am the one does my part but feel like I should get a pay check too. If I have to be at home, I want to be successful at it!