I recently came across an article written in Good Housekeeping in 1955 called the Good Wife’s Guide.  Because I am a person who constantly tries to better myself, I decided to ponder each tip to see if I could improve in any way. Yes, if you know me personally, you would agree that I am an old-fashioned kind of gal. I believe that it is my joy, not my duty, to be best wife and mother I can be.

After going through each tip I came up with this conclusion:

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-Have dinner ready. Plan ahead,  even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that 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 (especially his favourite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.

Okay, I do this every day; I’m one for one! Old-fashioned, I think not.  Over the last twenty years, my husband has worked diligently in his career, supporting my role as his wife and the mother of his children.  Because of his support I have been able to  accomplish all I set out to do without worry. I have had the blessing and privilege of being a stay-at-home mom and also a homeschooling mom for the last 21 years! I’d say my hubby deserves a nice hot dinner and a grateful heart when he returns home from a long day!

-Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you’ll 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.

Silly? I don’t think so. When courting my husband I always made sure I looked nice each time I was with him. Why should this change after marriage? The beauty is that, even though my husband may or may not know that I do try to make an effort to look nice for him when he returns from work or business trips, I don’t always have time to put on makeup or a to put ribbon in my hair!  I often have on my sweaty workout clothes or even my pajamas during the winter months when it gets darker sooner! I love that! He loves me anyway, because when he comes home everything else stops.  My time is with him and whether I have a freshly made face or not, he knows that he is my priority. When our children were little, we enjoyed our time together once the children were bathed, read to and tucked in bed-how I miss those days! Now that our children are grown we have that much more time to nurture our marriage.

-Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.


I think this is great advice! Before my husband leaves for work each morning I tell him how much I appreciate him and then I wait by the front door and wave goodbye! For years I wondered if he really cared that I wave to him. I got my answer one day when I forgot to go to the front door. He called me on his cell phone and said, “Hi, I’m out here waiting for you to wave to me! ” I looked out the window and there he was waving back at me smiling! Sometimes on the weekends when I go somewhere I look at the front door and there he is waving at me! Precious! He really does love seeing my at the door waving goodbye to him…and then waiting for him at home that night!

-Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives.
I love checking to make sure everything is at least clutter-free before Mike gets home. This not only welcomes him to a nice quiet and relaxing home after a long and sometimes stressful day at work, but it allows me to relax with him.

-Gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper, etc and then run a dishcloth over the tables.

Well, being a homeschooling family my husband would often come home to books scattered around, but we always tried to put things away so that we could relax once our schooling was done.

-Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you will immense personal satisfaction.

I do get a tremendous satisfaction when I know that my entire family is feeling relaxed and happy. Let’s be realistic though…not everyone has a fireplace, but I do understand the concept. There are many ways you can make your spouse feel special. I once wrote, “You’re cute!”  on one of my husband’s sticky notes in his office. I left it for him in his office.  Do you know that we’ve moved several times, but that same now sun-bleached purpose sticky note with “You’re cute” written in red ink is still on his computer-taped of course!  The point is to be thoughtful and make your spouse, your best friend, feel loved.  For the record, I also think that making a fire is a man’s job! :)

-Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children’s hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair and, if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part. Minimise all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer, or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.

I love this! I have heard many women respond negatively to this particular point, but I must tell you that having well-behaved children is not an impossible feat! My guys were always happy to see their Dad and anxiously awaited his arrival. If our pets can be happy to see us, why wouldn’t our children be? Husband’s do not expect their chidlren to be silent, but alwasy appreciate well-behaved chidlren. Husbands influence their chidlren just as much as wives do!  Children, especially babies, do cry and make noise, but in general this point should be well taken. Good and loving parenting skills generally leads to well-behaved, happy children! Don’t we all want happy family members? :) I always get a kick out of our cat, Isabel. Isabel is almost always the first to greet my husband, Mike! Her hearing is naturally amazing and she often alerts us of his arrival!

-Be happy to see him.

If I told you that I am always smiling and happy to see my husband, I’d be lieing! I get grumpy sometimes after a hard day, but usually I’m not mad at him, I just need to vent.  Over the years I have learned that if I pray and give all things to God, I am in a better frame of mind when he returns home. It not only helps him, but it helps me!

-Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.

I once read that the first thing a child should see when he/she awake is a smiling happy parent. The same should be for your spouse. I love waking up with my husband adn seeing his smile. I love greeting him with  smile and sometimes have to remind myself on days when I’m not feeling well. It always a makes me feel better, too!

-Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first- remember his topics of conversation are more important than yours.
My husband always comes home, enjoys a family dinner, which is alwasy an event in our house, and then needs some time to wind down. He’ll go to his office for a bit, checks the mail, his emails, and some other things.  Some men just need quiet. This is a helpful tip because although Mike may not want to talk about his day right away, I know that he needs some quiet. Once he winds down, I’ll ask him about his day and then tell him hear all about mine!

-Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.

Okay, I only have one problem with this. Respect goes both ways! I revere my husband and he honors me. He would never not come home. If he is late for dinner, he calls.  If you’re a husband reading this, call your wife if you’re going to be late. she’ll worry otherwise! :)

-Your goal: Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquility, where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

Amen! Enough said!
-Don’t greet him with complaints and problems.
Who really desires to be greeted by anyone complaining? I find that because my husband is also my best friend, I used to tell him about things that happened to me and bothered me. If someone hurt me or upset, I’d tell him!  He’d always listen and give great advice.  After a while I realized that most of what Mike shared with me was his hopes and dreams and how he dealt with situations-never really complaining about another person. He’s always been a great example for me!

-Don’t complain if he’s late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

An honorable, loving and thoughtful wife deserves an honorable and loving husband! Treat others, especially your spouse the way you want to be treated.

-Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

I think this is a great idea! Perhaps I could be better about this. I have taken Mike’s shoes off  a time or two after a long hard day and I can tell you he is grateful and feels loved! It didn’t kill me and it made him feel special. I once told a group of ladies in a Bible class, “You should love and treat your husband the way you’d want your daughter-in-law to love and treat your son.”

-Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

Me, speak in a low and soothing voice?  My husband married me for my high energy, vivacious personality and my loud and funny laugh, so I think I’m good! No low and soothing  voice for me! :)

-Don’t ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

My husband knows that I respect his decisions and give him the authority to care and protect his household and we discuss everything together. I always let Mike make the decisions. Why not?  He’s good at it and I try trust him completely!

-A good wife always knows her place.

And what a blessed place it is! Being a wife has been an absolute joy. Ah, the good wife, do you think this is a dieing breed?