The following is an excerpt from a 1950s high school
home economics textbook:
Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a
delicious meal on time. This is a way of letting him know 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 is part of the warm welcome
indeed.
Prepare yourself. Take fifteen minutes to rest so that 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 refreshing. His boring day may need a lift.
Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the
house just before your husband arrives, gathering up the school books, toys,
paper, etc.. Then run a dust cloth over the tables. Your husband will feel he
has reached a haven of rest and order and it will give you a lift too.
Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and
face, comb their hair, and if necessary, change their clothes. They are little
treasures and he would like to see them playing their part.
Minimize all the noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of
the washer, dryer, dishwasher, vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be
quiet. Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile.
Make him comfortable. have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest
that he lie down in the bedroom for a little while. Have a cool/warm drink
ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a
low, soft, soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax and unwind.
Listen to him. You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of
his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first, telling you about his day.
Make the evening his. Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner
or out to other pleasant entertainment. Instead try to understand his day of
strain and pressure and his need to unwind and relax.
Some don't's: Don't great him with problems or complaints. Don't complain
if he is late for dinner. Count this as minor compared to what he might have
gone through that day.
THE GOAL: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your
husband can relax in body and spirit.
Ann R. Keye |