So, request number 1...What does being a good housewife mean to me?
Well first off I want to thank my husband for allowing me to stay at home and not work, I am grateful that we can do that.
I should also mention I am only in year 2 of my marriage and no kids as of yet.
I should also mention I am only in year 2 of my marriage and no kids as of yet.
This is tougher than I thought it would be.
I'll list then explain what I mean..
1. A clean home
2. Anything food related
3. Decorating
4. Taking care of the kids or "kids"
5. Organizing Life
6. Being Productive
1. A Clean Home
My husband has told me a million times how he feels coming home to a messy house versus a clean house. When the house is clean it creates less stress for him and in turn for me, it means that when he gets home we can relax instead of clean. It eases his burden, which honestly is not only I feel my job as his wife, but it makes me happy too. Its not that easy though, for me anyway, I struggle with it but I am working on it. I HATE dishes and Laundry literally takes me a month...or longer. I know its bad.
So, moral of the story a clean home is a happy and more functional home. If I clean while he is at work then we can play when he gets home ;)
2. Anything Food Related
This means; preparing meals and Grocery shopping. Now there is nothing wrong with going grocery shopping together, since I use the Commissary for big shopping trips I can meet him after work and go together. Its nice and I get to spend time with the hubby, always a huge bonus! For me personally, I like to cook, especially for my hubby. So, having dinner when he comes home also reduces stress and shows him that I appreciate him. However, again it is nice to have some help in the kitchen and to bond with him. The easiest thing I have learned to do for both of these things is to plan out an entire MONTH of dinner, make my grocery list off of that, and voila. Now, I only shop for two weeks at a time though. If I decide that one night I don't like what I have planned, I have the ingredients for something else. It takes the guess work out of figuring out dinner and is less stress on me!
A Happy Wife is a happy life and a well fed husband is...a well fed husband!
So prepare your meal plan and then execute it.
3. Decorating
Really this is making your house a home, hanging pictures, painting, and adding your personal touch. I think with this I will include making your home a safe place, a bubble from the stress and trials of the world. This is a place where your husband comes home from the stress of work to unwind, where your kids can feel free to express themselves and relax, and where your family will create wonderful memories and traditions. So, make it feel welcome and feel like home. I think this is an important part of being a housewife, but also a home owner (by this I mean current resident of the place you call home...not necessarily owning a home).
A home is where the heart is and memories are made.
4. The Kids or "kids"
As a housewife(or househusband) it is part of our role to care for the kids while the other half is away. We all know what that entails so no need to further go into depth. For me it is "kids" our dogs and snakes. Having the privilege to be home with the kids is amazing and it is SO hard, this is coming from someone who doesn't even have HUMAN kids yet! I love that I get to be home with my dogs all day, but some times I want to CHOKE...love...them. ;) Just remember, these moments won't last forever. I once heard somewhere that your baby will only be a baby for a year so enjoy it while it lasts. For me that was for future reference FYI...
Make Memories
5. Organizing Life
For me that is keeping the Sanity, keeping track of friends/family's birthdays, and keeping up with life. This is organizing our week, planning trips, and calling the extended family. Its a lot sometimes, but if I didn't do it my hubby wouldn't remember. I get the joy of planning a get together with friends and picking out date nights. I get my Dry Erase Calendar out at the beginning of every month and start planning; when to grocery shop, when to have a date night, church activities, etc. If we didn't have that, I can't tell you how many things we would forget to do!! This is also me coming up with a to do list of projects we want to accomplish. Coolest thing is buying the colored dry erase markers..this month everything is GREEN for St. Patty's Day!
In the future this will be planning our life with the kids, vacations, extracurricular activities, school functions, parent things, date nights, etc.
As my husband tells me way too often:
Plan your dive, then dive your plan
or
Fail to plan, plan to fail.
GET ORGANIZED!
6. Be Productive
Its too easy to sit around all day and play on hulu or just be lazy and read a book all day. Believe me, I still do it often. But in the end things don't add up and it creates stress on you, your family, and your relationship. I see it this way (Now I do, but it still is something I struggle with) Husband is at work all day so that I/you can be at home and not work, he comes home and finds nothing done after he spent the day working...I can see where he gets frustrated at me/you. My husband tells me all the time he wishes he could have a day off (that is the excuse I use) and just do nothing, but when he comes home from working all day his job isn't over. Makes me feel guilty EVERY time. -.- Now, with kids this will be very different.
Now, don't get too crazy...unless you want to...but the best thing I think to do is make your list the night before. 3 things I want to accomplish today, then DO them first thing. Then you can do what you want, whether that is to keep the momentum going or stop. For me, it always gets me going and then I end up accomplishing even more. Nothing makes my husband happier than coming home to a happy wife who has been productive. I am happy because he is happy.
Get things going!
Now, I don't know quite what this whole post is, but it felt like it was the best answer. Now I will continue this post tomorrow after asking my husband what his opinion is on the matter, get that make perspective.
The most important thing I believe is to create a happy and loving home, that truly is what being a housewife means to me.
I completely understand about the dishes. I don't know what your situation is, but we don't have a dishwasher so it makes it that much more of a 'chore' for me. We also don't have a washer and dryer so sometimes it takes a WHILE before we can do laundry. (The joys of living in an apartment..lol) I do agree though on the fact that a messy home can be a huge burden on our sweethearts. There have been times where I didn't get any sleep the night before and so I would sleep any chance I could throughout the day. It also meant that nothing got done. It really does make you feel so much better knowing that when he comes home from work he can just relax and not question what you've been doing all day while he's been working.
ReplyDeleteNow, the grocery shopping with meal plans is very smart and I use it religiously. :) I think the hardest part (for me at least) about having a meal ready when he gets home, is not knowing when he's gonna get home each night. >.< He never has a set time so it makes nice gestures like that a little more difficult. Sometimes I have to wait till he's home before I can cook for him otherwise the food is already cold..bummer.
I love the decorating idea. I wish that someday we will be living in a place where I can actually put things up on the walls and really express my crafty side. For now I have my oh so beloved Pinterest racking in new ideas. :)
I love that.."your baby will only be a baby for a year, so enjoy it while it last." Sometimes that is hard to remember, but it is so true. Everyday I see something that reminds me how fast they really do grow up. Love on them, enjoy them, kiss and hug on them, and tell them you love them EVERY chance you get. What you say to them becomes the voice inside their head.
It really is difficult to always be prodcutive (especially when you have shows to catch up on..lol). :) I like that 'making a list' thing. When you look at it that way, you can break it all down and tackle the house over the course of a few days. It makes it easier to wrap your brain around the fact you only have 3 things. (And this is why naptime is so amazing!) haha
Thank you for this post. I enjoyed hearing your perspective. Being a housewife can be a big job! I love reading your blog..it's inspiring. It makes me want to start one..I just wouldn't know what to talk about. haha :)