WFMW - Fascinating Womanhood

When The Man and I first got together our roles were pretty clear. The Man is no pushover, he's a dominant guy. He likes to be catered to, and frankly, I like to cater to him. It honestly makes me happy to make him happy. Are you throwing up in your wastebaskets?

Sure, there are times when I want to tell him to stick it. Sometimes I'm tired and grouchy and the bitchy side of me rears its ugly head. Like, seriously, does he not know how to use the stove? Did he not notice the garbage was about to overflow? What part of "please put your socks in the hamper" does he not understand?

However, over the years I've learned that a closed mouth gathers no feet so I try to keep my mouth shut. Or at the very least, I try to be nice about it. Or at the very very least, I try not to call him names while I say it.

A few years ago I was watching an episode of Wife Swap and one of the wives started talking about this book, Fascinating Womanhood. This particular wife was extremely submissive and catered to her husband's every whim and desire. I can see how many modern day women might find this to be extreme and I agree for the most part. (I think The Man was trying to figure out how he could run off and marry her.) As hokey as it all seemed at the time, I purchased the book and started to read.

The funny thing is that the book makes a lot of sense. I hate to generalize men and women but I also believe that biologically we are different for good reason. I believe in most cases families work best when women stay home and care for the home and family (it's called nesting, y'all) and men financially provide for the family. I believe that when these roles are muddied there tend to be problems with relationships.

That being said, I don't believe women should lay down like doormats and forget themselves. Neither does the author of the book. Neither do most men, for that matter. I also realize that there are some cases where women go out and have fulfilling careers while men do a perfectly wonderful job being a stay at home dad. I know it works for some people. It doesn't work for us, though. I wouldn't want to go off to work for 8, 9, 10 hours a day while The Man stayed home and cleaned toilets.

The Man cleaning toilets..... hmmm.... it is sort of a nice picture....

No, seriously. I wouldn't like it for very long.

I will admit, it's not always easy to follow the principles of this book. I still work, even though it's inside the home, and I don't always say things in the nicest way. For the most part, however, The Man and I keep our roles pretty clear. We like it that way, it's what works for us.

For more Works for me Wednesday tips, check out Rocks In My Dryer!

PS - Have you commented on my free book giveaway yet? What are you waiting for? :)