The "Fascinating Womanhood" way to welcome a man when he comes home from
work is get your work done
Plan your tasks with an eye of the clock. Finish or interrupt them
an hour before he is expected. Your anguished cry, "Are you home
already?" is not exactly a warm welcome.
Have Dinner Ready
Plan ahead, even the night before to have a delicious meal, on
time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been
thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are
hungry when they come home and the prospects of a good meal are
part of the warm welcome needed.
Prepare Yourself
Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives.
This will also make you happy to see him instead of too tired to
care. Turn off the worry and be glad to be alive and grateful for
the man who is going to walk in. While you are resting you can be
thinking about your F.W. assignment and all you can do to make him
happy and give his spirits a lift. When you arise, take care of
your appearance. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair
and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary
people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring
day may need a lift.
Clear Away the Clutter
Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before
your husband arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc.
in a bucket or wastebasket and put them in the back bedroom for
sorting later. Then run a dustcloth over the tables. Your husband
will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order and it will give
you a lift too. Having the house in order is another way of
letting him know that you care and have planned for this
homecoming.
Prepare the Children
Take just a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces (if
they are small) comb their hair, and if necessary change their
clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them
look the part.
Minimize all Noise
Especially give heed to this if your husband has to join rush hour
traffic. At the time of his arrival eliminate noise of washer,
dryer, dishwasher or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be
quiet at the time of their father's arrival. Let them be a little
noisy beforehand to get it out of their system.
Be Happy to see Him
Greet him with a warm smile and act glad to see him. Tell him that
it is good to have him home. This may make his day worthwhile. If
there is any romance left in you, he needs it now.
Some Don'ts
Don't greet him with problems and complaints. Solve the problems
you can before he gets home and save those you must discuss with
him until later in the evening. Also, don't complain if he is late
for dinner. Count this as a minor problem when compared with what
he might have gone through that day. Don't allow the children to
rush at him with problems or requests. Allow them to briefly greet
their father but save demands for later.
Make him Comfortable
Have him lean back into a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down
in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange
his pillow and offer to massage his neck and shoulders and take off
his shoes. Don't insist on this however. Turn on music if it is
one of his pleasures. Speak in a soft, soothing, pleasant voice.
Allow him to relax - to unwind.
Listen to Him
You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his
arrival is not the time. Let him talk first, then he will be a
more responsive listener later.
Make the Evening His
Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other
places of entertainment. Instead, try to understand his world of
strain and pressure, his need to be home and to relax. If he is
cross or irritable, never fight back. Again, try to understand his
world of strain.
The Goal
Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband
can renew himself in body and spirit. Then add to this the
application of all the principles of Fascinating Womanhood and your
husband will want to come home. He will rather be with you than
with anyone else in the world and will spend whatever time he can
possibly spare with you. Try living all of these rules for his
homecoming and see what happens. This is the way to bring a man
home to your side, not by pressure, persuasion or moral obligation.