Well, Christmas is over and I’m sure there are a wide variety of stories that I could share with you but I’d like to start by sharing a gift that provided our family with hours of entertainment. I like to call it the Men’s Excuse Book … you’ll understand more in a second!
This gift was given to me by hubby’s uncle. This particular uncle is pretty much an exact replica of hubby (perhaps even ramped up a notch or two). I can do nothing but offer sympathy to his poor wife (who should probably start her own blog!).
Anyhow, this lovely, well thought out and generous gift, was an eye-opening little book actually called: The Good Wife Guide – 19 Rules For Keeping a Happy Husband.
Now let me set the stage a bit, in case you are unfamiliar with the educational value of this little treasure (a version of it has been circulating over email for a while).
This book includes excerpts from Ladies’ Homemaker Monthly. This journal (from the 1950s) is a testimony to old-fashioned family values. Their most notable adage was “You can judge a good woman by how many well-dressed children she has and the contentment of her husband”. This book is apparently fantastic fun for parties.. where you can watch all the men beat their chests as they bond together in public, each one knowing that when they get home their wives are gonna kick their butts!
I should also probably mention before I dive into some of these gems…. that hubby & I are EQUAL partners in our house (sometimes one of us pulls more weight, but eventually the pendulum swings back the other way – assuming of course that he’s actually listening to what needs to be done!?) That being said, hubby never passes up on the opportunity to try to tell me how to “Be A Better Wife”…. Gotta love him!
So, while I could spend hours outlining the helpful passages from this guide, I’ll just pick a few of my favorite helpful hints to ensure a happy marriage!
- Make sure the house is spotless before your husband is due to arrive home. (my house would always be spotless if hubby didn’t live here!)
- If your husband forgets to call and tell you he’s going to be late, don’t make him feel worse by giving him a hard time. (hubby would be getting far more than a hard time at my house.. remember the post about Swift Kicks In the Butt??)
- No matter how trying your day may have been, don’t burden him with your trivial woes. (most of my woes are a result of my dear hubby… )
And my personal favorites…. which I’ll actually type out completely because I know you’ll truly enjoy them!
- Occasionally your husband’s mind may be far too preoccupied to engage in idle chitchat. If, instead of hanging on your every word, he mumbles one word responses to your questions… don’t take it personally. Sometimes saying, “I love you,” means saying nothing at all. (or he’s just gone into his nothing box.. a place where he spends WAY too much time)
- A man’s needs are simple and his requests are few. In that case, it should be a pleasure, not a chore, to put his happiness ahead of your own. Don’t expect special acknowledgement of words of praise for your efforts – it’s your role to support him and make him feel special, not the other way around. (So much for my theory on Love Notes!)
As I mentioned earlier.. I think there are some far better titles for this book:
- A Man’s Excuse Book
- The Quickest Way to A Divorce
- Who Needs Harmony In The Home?
These titles more accurately portray why anyone would write such absurd suggestions. Each & every “rule” provides an excuse or perhaps a pass for a husband’s crappy behavior!
It does indeed however, provide a good laugh. And the funny part is, that it illustrates the women of the 1950s were struggling with all the same issues that I tend to write about in this blog! Too bad they didn’t have the internet back then so they too could vent about all those wonderful male traits!
And even more apparent, is the fact that men haven’t evolved in any way over the last 60 or so years! How Sad!!
