I agree with that. When I was a child it was similar to what you described. Dinner was always at the same time and we always had it together as a family, but that article goes beyond getting the house and kids ready for dinner.
Personally, I think the article was probably a throw back in time to how it may have been maybe ten to twenty years prior. A time when the majority of women didn't work and stayed home. In the late fifties through the sixties women were pretty active in Women Rights. To those women who were, I'll bet that article was a good motivational tool to change things.
Nothing wrong with a woman taking care of her man, but to suggest she shouldn't speak her mind and never question his actions as "guide lines" are the things I found a little over the top and I'm pretty certain telling a woman "a good wife knows her place" usually doesn't get the desired results. Not then, and certainly not today.
Let's see....I'm five years (and eight days) older than you, and the article was written almost six years before I was born. The "obedient wife" was well on her way out by the end of the sixties -- WELL on the way out -- but I still remember family gatherings from when I was very small. The men all gathered in the living room while the women tended to the kitchen and dining room. The women DID NOT interrupt the men unless it was to tell them that dinner was ready or to see if they needed anything, and the kids were kept at bay away from the men's conversation.
After dinner the men would return to their group and the women would clean up after dinner and marshal the kids together.
My mom would never think of raising her voice to my father until, probably, about 1970 or so. And I can still remember my dad's embarrassment and anger when my mom took her first job. That was in 1976, and they were divorced three years later.
Going point by point from the article:
Have dinner ready For sure. Every night.
Prepare yourself Mom, and my friends' moms as well, always took a few minutes just before the dad came home. Brushed the hair, etc., and always met him at the door if she was able to. My dad liked to come in, sit down and turn on the news and read his mail so mom would make sure the mail was stacked on the end table next to his chair for him daily.
Be a little gay and cheerful Even if she'd had a terrible day mom acted as if everything was perfect when dad came home. It was like that until I was about eight or nine if I remember correctly.
Clear away the clutter Already pointed out.
Gather up schoolbooks, etc. and dust Already covered.
Light a fire Then we didn't have a fireplace but I'd bet she would have had one going for him if we had.
Prepare the children See earlier post.
Be happy to see him Covered.
Greet him with a smile Pretty well covered.
Listen to him Dad always told of his day first, and THEN he would say to her, "So, how was your day?" That signaled her turn to talk.
Make the evening his That was just understood. Even for us kids.
Your goal, make the home a place of peace And spotless too. My mom, in later years, has proved to be a terrible housekeeper but our house was spotless when I was little.
Don't greet him with complaints or problems Never. And never let the kids be crying when he walked in the door.
Don't complain if he's late I can't count how many times mom had to keep reheating dinner so it was ready when dad finally did show up. I do remember though when she had finally had enough of that. He came home late after she'd reheated a chicken dinner several times. He walked in the door and she was sitting down at the table and did not get up. He said something to her and she went off...She picked up the platter with the chicken on it and threw it at him. My brother and I, who were sitting at the table, were in shock. We'd never seen this happen before. Mom had never raised her voice to our father before that. It just didn't happen. My parents went to their room and the shouting began while my brother and I cleaned up the mess. No one told us to, we just knew we were supposed to. That's the way it was then. And then dad stormed out of the house, slamming the door.
Make him comfortable Every night with the mail by his chair, the TV turned on as soon as he sat down, and asking what he wanted to drink while he was waiting for dinner to be ready.
Arrange his pillow and take off his shoes That, I don't remember happening.
Don't ask questions I can't recall mom ever questioning anything dad did, at least not to his face. When chatting with other women she (and they) often did though. But it wasn't their place to bring it up in the home.
A good wife always knows her place For my family, friends and neighbors, this was very true.
Maybe #13 will, when I find her.
