OLD FASHIONED HOMEMAKING ROUTINES

HOUSEWORK

Many women who lived in the late 1800's and early 1900's had structured homemaking routines. In an era when few women worked outside the home, women could complete their housework and still have time to visit neighbors, read, sew, quilt, and play games with their children. They did not feel as driven and stressed as many of us do today.

Here is an example of a weekly housework routine which was typical of many women in earlier years:

Monday - Wash day
Tuesday - Ironing
Wednesday - Mend and sew
Thursday - Grocery shopping
Friday - Clean house
Saturday - Baking and preparing food for Sunday dinner
Sunday - Church, big family dinner, relax or go visiting for the day.

These routines varied, of course, with individual families, but Monday and Tuesday were almost always laundry days.
Sometimes the house cleaning would be divided into two days, like Thursday and Friday, depending on how big their homes were.

MENUS

Some women would simplify their menus by planning similar dinners for each day of the week. For instance, Monday might be pork chop night, Tuesday could be meat loaf, and so on. In planning this way, they could be organized and economical. Of course, Sunday dinner would be a bigger event. Pot roast or fried chicken were some of the common Sunday dinners. My grandmother would always bake a cake and prepare jello on Saturday night to be ready for Sunday dinner.

Sandwiches were not as prevalent as they are today. My grandmother cooked three meals a day. My grandfather worked on the B & O Railroad, and took sandwiches every day for lunch. So he got very tired of them. As a result, Grandma would cook meals for lunch when he was home. Actually, they called the midday meal dinner. She would either cook another meal for supper, or warm up leftovers if there were plenty of them. Breakfast was also a cooked meal of oatmeal, eggs, bacon or sausage, and maybe even pancakes. When my grandfather retired, he was the pancake maker, and nobody could make them like him! He made them from scratch every morning. I always loved to wake up to the aroma of Grandpa's pancakes when I would stay at their house.

Housework and cooking may have been more difficult in those days, without all of the modern conveniences, but in ways it may have been easier, too. Women had more time, and homemaking was considered a priority. Their families reaped the benefits of organized homes and healthy, hearty, sit-down meals.


Inez Haythorn is a Christian wife, mother, elementary school teacher, pianist, and freelance writer. She is the publisher of Christian Family Treasures, and Heirloom Memories. Her goal is to glorify and honor God, and bless and help others. Copyright 2003. All rights reserved.
http://www.christianfamilytreasures.com
http://www.heirloom-memories.com
http://www.cherishedcollections.com

Being a mother has been touted the “hardest job in the world”, and for good reason. The pay stinks (low or non-existent), the hours are long (your are always on call), and there is very little “Thanks” for a job well done. Sometimes the self-imposed SHOULDs or “Deadly Thoughts” held by mothers can make their already difficult job nearly impossible. This year Mom, give your self a Mother’s Day treat by lightening up on yourself. Enjoy!

DEADLY THOUGHT #1: I have to be a “perfect” mother.
REMEDY #1: Recognize there is no such thing as a “perfect” mother. Give yourself permission to be human and make mistakes. Even well educated professionals with advanced degrees such as doctor’s and lawyers refer to their work as “practicing medicine” or “practicing law”. Give yourself permission to be a “practicing mother”.

DEADLY THOUGHT #2: I have to put everybody else’s needs before my own.
REMEDY #2: Your needs are just as important as the rest of the members of the family. Allow yourself a little treat as least once a week. Treat yourself to a pedicure. Set aside 20 minutes for a bubble bath and place a “DO NOT DISTURB” sign on the bathroom door.

DEADLY THOUGHT #3: I have to do all of the work.
REMEDY #3: Do not be afraid to enlist the help of other family members, including your children, to tackle the household chores. You are actually doing your children a favor by allowing them an opportunity to learn life skills that will enable them to feel competent and self-assured as an adult.

DEADLY THOUGHT #4: I am an inferior Mom, if I cannot afford to buy my child the latest design jeans or the newest toy on the market.
REMEDY #4: Live within your budget. Credit card debt can be a significant stressor. By living within your means, you will be teaching your child by example, how to be financially responsible. You won’t need to take on that second job to pay off the credit card and you’ll be much more pleasant and happy mother.

DEADLY THOUGHT #5: My house needs to be spotless and ready for company at all times.
REMEDY #5: Get over the fact that your house will probably never be on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens. What is more important? Having quality time to spend with your kids or being on the cover of some silly old magazine.

DEADLY THOUGHT #6: I need to say, “YES” to any outside request regarding my child.
REMEDY #6: Learn to say “NO” to the barrage of requests that come your way. It’s OK to say “NO” to such requests as baking cookies for your child’s homeroom, carpooling the kids to softball practice, or being a Girl Scout Leader. Only say “YES” only to those activities that you would consider fun or relaxing that fit into your schedule.

DEADLY THOUGHT #7: I have to look like I came off the cover of Glamour magazine.
REMEDY #7: Recognize that you have given birth and that you may no longer have the slim, trim tummy that you had before getting pregnant. It’s OK to pull your hair back in a ponytail or wear a hat, if you’re having a “bad hair” day.

DEADLY THOUGHT #8: I have to be the type of mother portrayed on TV, magazines, and those mushy books dedicated to “dear ole Mom”.
REMEDY #8: You’ve already heard, “only in the movies” before. Don't compare yourself to the TV Moms. They are a figment of someone’s imagination.

DEADLY THOUGHT #9: I have to cook homemade meals, birthday cakes, etc.
REMEDY #9: Be thankful for Sara Lee, the local bakery, and the deli counter in the grocery store along with all of the options for fast food. Cut corners wherever you can, so that you have more time to spend with your kids.

DEADLY THOUGHT #10: Everybody must think I’m a good mother.
REMEDY #10: Let’s face it. Everybody is a critic. Don't let those critical comments made by your in-laws, neighbors, and other busybodies, erode your confidence in your ability as a mother. Remember you are a “practicing mother”. Some days you’ll do better than others. Be kind to yourself and accept your humanity and shortcomings. You are much more likely to the type of mother your want to be, if you lighten up on yourself. DON'T BE YOUR OWN WORST CRITIC!

May you always experience love and joy,

Linda Lovejoy, MA, LMHC
Life and Relationship Coach
http://consciousdating.org/coach/LindaLovejoy.htm
mail to: lindalovejoy@yahoo.com

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The Martha Complex - The problem with being a 1950's mom in 2003
	Written by: Lara Shecter Web Site:   A Scrapbook for School-Aged Children Date Submitted: 03/27/2003

"It's a good thing" is a mouthful for a new generation of working mothers

Poor Martha. With all this nasty insider trading business, it must be awfully difficult to focus on glue guns and hand-painted Easter eggs. Martha Stewart's recent run-in with the SEC, however, confirms something most mothers suspected all along: maintaining perfection at work and at home is about as realistic as having a toddler who changes his own diapers.

While they grew up with the mantra "You can have it all," many women are realizing that being a loving wife, a wise and gentle mother, and successful business woman is more than they can handle. Unlike their mother's who struck a blow for feminism by joining the work force, the most recent generation of mothers finds itself trapped in a web of feminist ideals and feminine pursuits.

Old-fashioned values are all the rage with countless magazines and television programs detailing how to make absolutely everything from scratch. Gone are the days when a working mother could pat herself on the back for managing to get a TV dinner on the table to feed her hungry brood. If it isn't a gourmet meal made from organic vegetables grown in her garden, today's working mom feels strangely inadequate. If Martha can make her own Christmas ornaments, and seventeen kinds of cookies while running a business empire, the underlying sentiment seems to be, why can't I?

With Martha's public stumble, however, mothers everywhere can breath a collective sigh of relief. Perhaps when it comes to juggling work and family, perfection is only an illusion and women can cut themselves a little more slack. Remember, it's only "a good thing" if you have the time and energy to enjoy it.

Here are 5 ways to break the Martha Habit:

1. Take your kids to the store, let them choose a bag of cookies, and don't look at the ingredients. Once at home, give a cookie to each child and have one yourself. Pour a glass of milk, and revel in the fact that your kitchen is not covered in flour and that there are no dishes to clean.

2. Get your blood pumping once a week. No offense Martha, but while making your own truffles can be divine, it doesn't leave a whole lot of time to stay in shape. Try an activity that will make you feel like a kid again, like line-dancing, Hip-Hop or Yoga.

3. Despite the hype, most crafts aren't cheap or easy. If you feel your blood pressure rising when you contemplate the amount of time and money you've spent on a project, you should reconsider the whole endeavor. Next time accept that a candle from the dollar store burns just as brightly as one you've molded yourself.

4. If your child is in more than 2 after school activities, think about canceling them. To stop over-scheduling yourself, you must first stop over-scheduling your children.

5. Take a team approach. Your kids would prefer a piniata of a lopsided fish to a perfect replica of a Disney character as long as they got to squish the papier-macher through their little fingers. It doesn't have to look perfect to be perfect as far as kids are concerned, so relax and get them involved in what you're doing.

About the Author:
Lara Shecter
mailto:info@bodegabooks.com
http://www.bodegabooks.com

Lara Shecter has been working from home since having her first child in 1997, and she has learned a lot about what it takes to be a mompreneur in the process. Her first book, The Memory Maker - A Scrapbook for School-Aged Children, was inspired by her desire to keep things simple and fun for busy families. It has sold more than 28,000 copies.

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