How to be a Great Husband: A Guide to the 21st Century

The other day, my husband may or may not have made a sexist comment, referring to the 1950’s “Good House Wife’s Guide.” You know, how my goal is to make my home a place of peace, order, and tranquility where my husband can renew himself in body and spirit. As if … It was a hilarious joke that got me thinking about what a different world we live in 70 years later and how the role of mother, wife, and even husband has changed.

Keeping It Real

Let’s look at the reality of a being a wife and mom in the 21st century. About 64% of mothers with children under the age of 6 are employed and 70% of those working moms work full-time. Compare this to 1950 when only 34% of women were in the work force. While we all love our families AND our jobs, juggling work and parenting together is not always a blast. This is why we have a partner. It is no longer acceptable for Dad to just “man” the grill for the occasional BBQ (although it is a skill not all can conquer). There are a few things that we do in our household to help keep the sanity; this is one of the many reasons why I think my hubby is the best.

2018 Good House Husband’s Guide

  1. Do not get in bed until you have made and set the coffee pot. This is one less thing mom will have to do in the morning and it is GREATLY appreciated.
  2. Pick your poison – school drop off or pick up. In our house, dad does drop off daily.
  3. Make sure to take the trash and recycling out as soon as it gets full. DO NOT continue to “push” the trash in to compact it.  Just empty it …
  4. Bring the trash and recycling bins to the street once a week for pick up and bring them back in when you get home from work.
  5. Clean the dishes from dinner while mom bathes the children. Also feel free to bring her a glass of wine at this point …
  6. Help mom and the kids pick up toys, shoes, and clothes to keep everything in its place.
  7. Manage the Roomba schedule like the boss that you are.
  8. Empty the dishwasher when dishes are clean.
  9. Keep up with the yard work and outside maintenance.
  10. When taking your socks off at night, make sure to turn them right side in before placing in the laundry hamper. (This may be the most important!)

As much as I aspire to be Super Mom and DO IT ALL, it is just not always a reality for my family. Or it is at least not a reality that would allow for a happy mom, which we all know trickles down to the kids and dad. It is not that I cannot do these things myself (and sometimes I do), it is just a huge help to me and never goes unappreciated. When my husband helps me with small chores around the house, we get to spend more quality time together as a family, and this is what is truly the most important thing in the world to me. And it is true “quality” time because I am not distracted by a task or exhausted from trying to do it all.

In this household, it is all about finding the right balance that keeps us sane. What does your husband do to help you around the house?

Lauren James
Lauren is a native New Orleanian that was transplanted to Lafayette in 2008 by her husband of 11 years, Daniel. She has a B.S.N. from Louisiana State University – School of Nursing and a M.S.N. from the University of South Alabama. Her “paying gig” is as a Nurse Practitioner with a focus in Quality/Infection Prevention at a local hospital. Her other full-time gig is as keeper of her home and mom to William 7, Mary Kathryn 6, and Benjamine 2. Most of her days at home are spent picking up toys and socks off the floor so the family Bernese Mountain Dog, Tipper, does not demolish them. When she has a spare moment, she enjoys reading crime novels, playing board game with her kids, cooking and baking foods that are not on her diet, and finding any reason to celebrate by drinking her beloved champagne. To burn off a few calories and any leftover energy, the family enjoys walking or riding bikes on the shaded boulevard on which they live. Lauren has fallen in love with the people and city of Lafayette and is very proud to raise her family here and to now call it home.