One of the things that we talked about during our 1950’s TV Moms podcast was the life and responsibilities of the typical 1950’s REAL LIFE housewife. During that discussion I, Susan, got this brilliant plan in my bonnet (mostly because Beckett challenged me): copy the 50’s Houswife Experiment as outlined in the blog, Jen Never Jenn. http://www.jenbutneverjenn.com/2010/05/welcome-to-50s-housewife-experiment.html
Could I maintain the lifestyle and priority list of the typical middleclass, suburban housewife of the 50’s? For how long? What was my family’s response? Did I make the dreaded Jello Salad?
Of course I did it. Not quite for a full week as I had intended–ok, I bailed on Day Four. Real 2011 life got in the way of the pretend 1950’s life and I caved. It was just too hard for me to escape modern times. Maybe if it had been a super cool, well planned event like a 1900’s House I could handled it better.
But I had to send my kids to 2011 school. And my husband went to 2011 work. And I had 2011 work and issues of my own ( pretty sure a 1950’s housewife would not have spent two hours on the phone with insurance companies trying to backtrack year old claims).
But I digress.
Yes, I did it. No, I didn’t love it. There are things that I loved – a lipstick addiction isn’t all bad, right? But overall? Not for me.
- A lovely 1950’s inspired dinner leads to…
Let me sum up the experience like this:
I bow in gratitude to Jen Byke who maintained it for two full weeks…but for me it was like someone bundling up in a North Face jacket and Uggs to go to a RenFest and walk away thinking they knew what Renaissance life was like.
They don’t.
And I didn’t.
But we had some fun anyway.