Oh, how times have changed! The ideals of 1950s American housewives were solely based on being subservient to their breadwinning husbands and maintaining a happy home. Back in the day, gender roles played an integral part of a once-patriarchal society geared towards white picket fences and living the American Dream on Primrose Lane. An instructional article dating back to May of 1955 by Housekeeping Monthly focused on how married women should behave in order to keep their husbands happy. The Good Wife’s Guide offered a laundry list of duties for the twentieth century modern housewife/homemaker that would likely be viewed as a comedy for women in today’s breakneck paced society.
A few of the rules or duties for women to abide by included planning ahead for their husbands’ arrival after spending a long hard day at the office, such as having dinner prepared and ready to serve, and if possible, making his favorite dish to make him feel welcome and wanted. Taking about 15 minutes to freshen up and trying to look pretty also ranked high on the list, as well as keeping the house clean and proving a quiet environment before he arrives, which also entailed keeping the children quiet and encouraging them to behave. Additional pointers included making sure that the kids were well-groomed and presentable; in the event that he came home late or not at all, trying to be supportive and understanding became a suggested priority for 1950s housewives.
Since that time in our nation’s history, many of today’s couples have completely bucked these antiquated trends. Men’s and women’s roles have also changed dramatically, from sharing in daily responsibilities to child-rearing and beyond. A two-income household is often the norm, as well as what to do for dinner and whose turn it is to cook. By taking a look back and seeing these changes occur, it’s easy to see that liberated households are reaping the benefits of life by improvising and changing on the fly when necessary.
