Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Management Vs. Labor

Last night I picked up my copy of Everyday Foods, a 1949 Home Economics text by UT economists Harris and Lacey.

I love Cheryl Mendelson's recent Home Comforts, but you can't beat the old domestic texts for a wealth of information (and great vintage photos). Breakfast, lunch, and dinner have their own particular guidelines, nutritionally and aesthetically.

Here's a short passage from Chapter Two's step-by-step study of meal preparation:

What a good manager does:
Plans meals that meet the nutrition requirements of her family.
Cooks food in delectable dishes so that the family enjoys eating a balanced diet.
Uses time, materials, and equipment economically.
Serves meals artistically.
Enjoys her work and has time to do many other things.
The difference between people who get things done and those who don't is that those who accomplish things have learned management.
Some food for thought as you go about your day.

4 comments:

Mom said...

Meredith,
arent' those old books the best? I have my moms CIA Encyclopedia of Cooking and it contains similar information, along with seasonal menus, what you should feed young children, school age children, ect. So neat!

Jennilee

Mom of thirteen said...

"The difference between people who get things done and those who don't is that those who accomplish things have learned management."

As the mother of twelve, I certainly see myself in a management role in our home. I train the children, in chores, etc. , set up a chore chart and daily schedule and then oversee that they are following it. We can get a lot done this way!

Please be assured that I am not a slave driver, sitting back, sipping tea while the children do everything for me! There is still plenty for me to do (cooking, meal planning, nursing a baby, snuggling a two year old, reading to children,school work, making hubby's lunch, etc.). And, there is plenty of play time! (In fact, as I type this they are playing instead of getting chores done! Time to put my Management hat on!LOL!)
~jerri

Meredith said...

Jerri, I think the "management mindset" applies even when you don't have a pool of children to direct! It's the difference between complaining about your chores and feeling powerless in your situation--or being proactive about your responsibilities.

Mom of thirteen said...

Meredith,
I totally agree! I didn't wake up one morning with 12 children. (wouldn't that be scary!) I have been proactive for years, even when I had only a few children. Just want to encourage those with younger/fewer children that it is worth the time it takes for training, especially when they are young, so that you and your children can reap the benefits later.

An example that comes to mind is a mom I know who has two children who are 8 and 11 now. She would always say to me that there wasn't much use teaching them to do chores, etc. because there was only two of them. She would ask them once in a while, to help with dishes or cleaning their room. The older they get the harder it is to get them to comply. And, because this mom has been very busy with work she does at church her house is always a mess (her words). It would have done so much to teach her children all along to help out and then she could be in the management role by now, have less stress, have a cleaner house, not be in that "powerless in her situation" as you mentioned (is this also an "I'm a victim" mentality do you think?), and her children would not only learn the valuable lessons on how to clean a house and be a contributing member to their family, they would learn important life skills in doing a job, doing it well and the feeling of accomplishment.

This is just one example of how lack of managment plays out.

**sigh** Guess I have a few opinions on this subject! Hope it doesn't sound harsh to anyone. Sometimes it is hard to think and plan with an eye to the future. But, it is so worth it! Happy momma, happy daddy and happy kids in a happy home! =)
~jerri