Nobody Puts Baby In A Corner

I have always been fascinated by the women of the 1940s & 1950s.  I was raised on movies like "Father of the Bride" (the original with Elizabeth Taylor and Spencer Tracy) and the sequel "Father's Little Dividend", South Pacific, White Christmas, Tea for Two, Sabrina, Giant....and on and on.  My grandfather made sure my cinematic education was well-rounded (he also made sure I watched every John Wayne move. ever.).

What I love most about the women of the 1950s is that they took care of themselves. They carefully coiffed their hair, they dressed stylishly (no yoga pants and t-shirts there!), and they put their husband's needs first (gasp!).

Then along came the feminist movement (otherwise known as the "family-destruction movement"). I could go on about how this movement has done more harm than good for women and how it has all but destroyed the family unit, but that is for another post.

So, along with my efforts to improve my health through eating better, more wholesome food, I am making a commitment to model my wife-hood and motherhood after the quintessential 1950s housewife.


I am not going to try to recreate the perfection of the magazine photos and Hollywood movies. I am researching what it was actually like to be a stay-at-home wife and mother in this era before submission and housework became dirty words.







So this week my goals are as follows:

• Get dressed. Every day. Not in yoga pants.
• Freshen up and apply at least a little make-up before my husband gets home from work.
• Tidy and remove clutter around the house daily.
• Have dinner at least prepped/started before my husband gets home.
• Have the TV off and the house calm and quiet when my husband gets home.
• Feed my children at least 1 well-thought out meal for either breakfast or lunch (hey...gotta start somewhere! They have been on a "snack" diet since summer started).
• DO NOT dump all of my frustrations and complaints on him as soon as he walks in the door.
• Handle issues with the children at home during the day without calling him to complain.
• Do at least 2 loads of laundry (washed, dried, folded and put away) each day.
• Make our bed each day.

 (This is my effort to get dressed and curl my hair today)








I believe our society has marginalized the role of the housewife in recent history. Over the past few decades, women have been trained to believe that these roles are somehow less than worthy of their time and effort.

But there is a revolution starting. Wives and mothers around the world are joining together and saying "our roles matter, we are not only important, but instrumental in raising the next generation of leaders."

So this is my battle cry. I will not be marginalized, I will not be overlooked as "just a housewife". I am proud of my God-given role of wife and mother and I will embrace it and excel at it.  









Blessings,
Meri