Sometimes I like to request the older books from our library's catalog--titles from the 40's and 50's with their sturdy covers and old-fashioned advice. Aside from packing with excelsior in barrels (!), this 1958 book by Garner Dodson is full of great ideas--all filtered through the 1950's traditional family roles. (In a section entitled "Helping Dad Understand": Almost any Daddy will capitulate under such logic, enter into the adventurous spirit of a move, help Mother plan useful jobs for the children, praise them and agree to keep them together as a family during the entire trip.)
Believe it or not, these tips are more helpful to me as a traditional mom than the other contemporary moving guides. For one, they're geared toward moving and packing with young children underfoot. It's understood that Mother's job will be planning and executing the move while Daddy is busy with his new career. Most of the tips are amazingly frugal, because at the time it was written, mothers didn't have the costly conveniences we enjoy today. As I finish reading, I'll try to post a few more gems from Making The Most of Every Move.
1 comment:
Meredith, I'm a great fan of your blog and read it every few days. As an English reader it gives me a nice view of your American lifestyle.
Just wanted to say if you like "older" books have you read the classic Sixpence in Her Shoe by Phyllis McGinley ? I think you would enjoy it ! I think it was written in the late 50's, early 60's. You would like her decorating style, her child rearing, her frugality......everything, frankly !
Rinty
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