You'd Better Learn to Cook, Woman!
In his 1943 book, Sex Today in Wedded Life, Edward Podolsky gives four commandments he believes essential for women who want to be good wives. I discuss the first commandment, DON’T TALK, in my blog “Marriage Advice from the 1950’s” (http://rebeccareilly.net/?p=343).
Today’s tip for the Happy Homemaker: YOU’D BETTER KNOW HOW TO COOK!
In Podolsky’s words, A social service meeting, an afternoon tea, a matinee, a whatnot, is no excuse for there being no dinner ready when a husband comes home from a hard day’s work. Housekeeping accomplishments and cooking ability are, of course, positive essentials. In any true home, a wife should take a reasonable pride in her skill. Happiness does not flourish in an atmosphere of dyspepsia.
Dr. William Josephus Robinson, physician and author of many books including, Love and Comfort in Marriage (1922, Eugenics Publishing Co.) is even more emphatic about a woman’s responsibility to master the stove: Bad cooking is responsible for dyspepsia, dyspepsia is responsible for grouchiness and irritability, grouchiness and irritability lead to quarrels and squabbles. And bad cooking, which is the usual thing in the average American home, has been responsible as much as any other factor for driving the husband to the saloon, and to other places. And when she does cook, she should cook, and not be, as somebody said, a mere can opener.
I’m glad Dr. Robinson never tasted my meatloaf! Of course, I was probably busy wasting my time participating in a whatnot last time I tried to prepare that tasteless treat.
I like to cook. I think preparing a meal, or a plate of anything edible, is a form of artistic expression. I show my love for my husband by sacrificing my time and energy to cook him a meal he enjoys. And I expect him to show his love for me by doing the dishes.
Dr. Robinson and Mr. Poldolsky, in their complete arrogance, have forgotten that marriage is a partnership. They view the institution more as a way the superior man can acquire a willing (and unpaid) servant.
I wonder if Dr. Robinson believed that it was inevitable and acceptable for a man to be grouchy if his dinner was less than adequate. I suppose if a wife caters to her husband’s every need like Robinson and Poldolsky think she should, he would turn into a spoiled brat and have a temper tantrum whenever things didn’t go his way.
Praise God if your marriage is one of mutual respect and shared responsibilities!
In Diary of a Christian Woman, How I Used 50 Shades of Grey to Spice Up My Marriage, Phoebe’s troubles weren’t in the kitchen (George was more than willing to order a pizza). See how she tried to add spice to her sex life at http://bit.ly/diarychristianwoman.
Today’s tip for the Happy Homemaker: YOU’D BETTER KNOW HOW TO COOK!
In Podolsky’s words, A social service meeting, an afternoon tea, a matinee, a whatnot, is no excuse for there being no dinner ready when a husband comes home from a hard day’s work. Housekeeping accomplishments and cooking ability are, of course, positive essentials. In any true home, a wife should take a reasonable pride in her skill. Happiness does not flourish in an atmosphere of dyspepsia.
Dr. William Josephus Robinson, physician and author of many books including, Love and Comfort in Marriage (1922, Eugenics Publishing Co.) is even more emphatic about a woman’s responsibility to master the stove: Bad cooking is responsible for dyspepsia, dyspepsia is responsible for grouchiness and irritability, grouchiness and irritability lead to quarrels and squabbles. And bad cooking, which is the usual thing in the average American home, has been responsible as much as any other factor for driving the husband to the saloon, and to other places. And when she does cook, she should cook, and not be, as somebody said, a mere can opener.
I’m glad Dr. Robinson never tasted my meatloaf! Of course, I was probably busy wasting my time participating in a whatnot last time I tried to prepare that tasteless treat.
I like to cook. I think preparing a meal, or a plate of anything edible, is a form of artistic expression. I show my love for my husband by sacrificing my time and energy to cook him a meal he enjoys. And I expect him to show his love for me by doing the dishes.
Dr. Robinson and Mr. Poldolsky, in their complete arrogance, have forgotten that marriage is a partnership. They view the institution more as a way the superior man can acquire a willing (and unpaid) servant.
I wonder if Dr. Robinson believed that it was inevitable and acceptable for a man to be grouchy if his dinner was less than adequate. I suppose if a wife caters to her husband’s every need like Robinson and Poldolsky think she should, he would turn into a spoiled brat and have a temper tantrum whenever things didn’t go his way.
Praise God if your marriage is one of mutual respect and shared responsibilities!
In Diary of a Christian Woman, How I Used 50 Shades of Grey to Spice Up My Marriage, Phoebe’s troubles weren’t in the kitchen (George was more than willing to order a pizza). See how she tried to add spice to her sex life at http://bit.ly/diarychristianwoman.
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