When I was younger, I was in Guiding.
I can still remember the excitement as my Mum dropped me off for my first Brownie Meeting. I had just turned six, and I had been waiting for the day for four long years.
I loved the friendships, I loved the games and the crafts, I loved the uniform. But what made the biggest impression on me was the Promise and the Law. It gave me something to strive for. A concrete but simple set of rules I could hold myself against and see how I measured up.
I can still remember the excitement as my Mum dropped me off for my first Brownie Meeting. I had just turned six, and I had been waiting for the day for four long years.
I loved the friendships, I loved the games and the crafts, I loved the uniform. But what made the biggest impression on me was the Promise and the Law. It gave me something to strive for. A concrete but simple set of rules I could hold myself against and see how I measured up.
I still try and uphold these ideals daily, especially the good old motto, "Be Prepared", but I was thinking - what if I had a set of guidelines for my role as a housewife? A creed of sorts, one pertaining particularly to this point in my life? Forgive the cheese, but I had a crack:
The Housewife's Promise
I will strive to fill my home with peace, joy and contentment. I recognise the responsibility and privilege of my role, and I embrace my tasks with enthusiasm.
The Housewife's Creed
A Housewife is proud of her career
A Housewife maintains a positive outlook
A Housewife cares for herself
A Housewife takes responsibility for the well being of her family
A Housewife takes care of her home
A Housewife is productive
A Housewife improves her skills
A Housewife is thrifty
A Housewife creates traditions and memories
A Housewife serves in her communityAnd, not to forget, the Housewife's Motto: "Get on with it!"
You'll notice I capitalised the word Housewife. That's because anyone can technically be a housewife - you just need to be married and at home. But to be a proper Housewife takes work. Actual effort. Getting out of bed and having a goal. Having some pride!
So, what do you reckon? Want to join my Housewifely gang? And, way more importantly, what's our uniform going to be?
I reckon this probably needs a badge...
Whatever the uniform is, it needs a good coating of flour and something sticky..
ReplyDeletei have got to see the uniform! please let it be better than the guides uniform to iron though...my teen just finished up guides last year and i am NOT sorry to see those box pleats go!!!
ReplyDeleteYour line about housewives caring for themselves has me a little worried though...i need to work on this one!!
It's the most important bit! Oxygen masks on first, and all that...
DeleteAs a retired Woorail, sixer, I promise that I will do my best, .....typed with my left hand , while the other hand is holding up three fingers.....I still have my Brownie Guide Creed poster that we had to make when we joined....man I loved that brown beret.
ReplyDeleteIm in....whats the first badge we need to go for...?
Oh, badges! There's a good idea...
DeleteI'll work on that :)
Could we add to the motto, Get on with it - do it NOW!! Whatever the uniform, I think it should incorporate an apron somewhere- an Apron Rampant on the badge?
ReplyDeleteYes, yes we can!
DeleteAn Apron Rampant? I love it. I'm imagining angry, waving apron strings...
Ha! This is a good oen :-D I'll join up.
ReplyDeleteUsed to be a Voortrekker way back when - the Afrikaans version of Guides. The creed and promise are almost exactly the same!
I remember always getting in trouble because my skirt was to short - but I was the only one in the commando adhereing to the rule re skirt length...the rest had chocolate brown skirts flaping around their calves, mine was 5 fingers aboe the knee.
So I'll join, but please, no high heels ;-)
No high heels! I think a sensible sole is imperative, we're not faffing about, after all - there's work to be done! ;)
DeleteI love that yours was called a Commando. Very tough!
I always thought commando meant lacking undergarments...
DeleteAt least that's what we vulgar Americans say!
I can say, with a great deal of confidence, that the majority of commandos you would meet in uniform are, in fact, going commando...
DeleteBrilliant! I want to be in your Housewifely gang! Yep, the uniform has got to be an apron. I have a half-apron thing for the days I am feeling a bit of a Fifties housewife and a full apron for the cooking/baking days.
ReplyDeleteI have always loved the Guide Promise and it still makes me all go a bit funny now when I hear it from my own Guides at their enrollments.
Oh goodness, I get a bit funny too, when my girls take their Promise I expect to be a total mess. Very embarrassing! ;)
DeleteI think an apron would be the perfect uniform. Badges along the hem or waistline?
On the pockets?
DeleteDone!
DeleteSo recent news of the Guides changing their promise, omitting the words God and the Queen would have upset you?
ReplyDeleteNever did Guides, probably one of the reasons why I don't know how to sew.
I went to a very strict Christian school so any extra curricular activities that weren't directly linked to the school and their church was frowned upon.
I think an apron in the Gang is mandatory. My current apron is calico and has a chocolate Lab on the front with the text 'Dog hair adds flavour' so maybe our aprons could have something we love on them?
No, it didn't upset me at all, it had to come. I was actually part of the first few focus groups working on the new look for the movement in Aus, way back when. I do miss the decent uniforms, though. I like shirts that need ironing and shoes and badges that need a polish, I think it teaches forward planning and self respect.
DeleteI didn't learn many sewing skills from Guides, but damn, my knots were tight! We were an outdoorsy troop. I think it's very leader dependent.
Hmmm...Growing up my best friend was a brownie (is that how you spell it???) They had a dance one night at their hall, and there were streamers and balloons hanging from the ceiling, it looked beautiful. But I got 'fined' 5 cents for pulling down a streamer, I must have missed the part where they told us about that. And guess what, I didn't even pull it down! Seriously I don't know what it was stuck to the roof with, but it didn't hold it up, and I happened to be the unlucky one standing under it when it fell. They wouldn't even listen to my pleas of innocence!
ReplyDelete5 cents was a whole lot of money to an eightish year old girl in 1980!
I've never been fond of them since. (Brownies/Guides that is)
{And obviously I'm scarred for life :)}
Having had my rant, I think those guidelines are wonderful for any job you hold.
Oh, that's just mean! Some of the leaders were real old battle-axes. I was terrified of one lady from our district, but the rest were absolutely lovely. It was like having a couple of extra mums. Please don't let one crazy streamer-mad lady scar you! (Want me to pay you back the money? Would that help? This story made me so sad...)
DeleteLOL, with interest??? ;)
DeleteOh why not, 10% interest, that comes out at 41c!
DeleteLove it! :) I have my personal creed as my desktop on my computer so that all that time spent staring at the screen can also be counted as subliminal propoganda :D
ReplyDeleteMy mum wouldn't let me join the guides (which I see as mini-CWA-ers) as she was made to as a child and hated it. My little one is starting Scouts in a couple of weeks so it will be interesting to see if she gets into it. I asked her about Guides but she said she didn't want to do girls stuff (the lack of boys appeared to be it's biggest problem lol).
Oh, Scouts is the bomb!
DeleteI went from Brownies to Guides, but then when I went to check out Ranger Guides the local unit was so full of girls who were obviously aiming for early, bored, cat-heavy spinsterhood that I swapped to the Scouts instead. I loved Venturers. LOVED it. The guys I used to hike with then are still my mates now.
Although, I will say... I earned my Baden Powell in Guides, my sash was rather full, but I don't think I earned a single badge at Venturers - too many boys! Lol
I was Brownie and a Guide too. I loved it! I wasn't very good at completing my tasks, though. Procrastination: I started early and have worked it to a fine art.
ReplyDelete~S.
I always say my Mum should have my BP award, not me. I may have eventually done the work, but only with Significant Encouragement! If only there had been a procrastinators badge. I'm sure many eligible people considered creating it, but never got around to submitting the paperwork... ;)
DeleteI was browsing from since morning in search of music notes in that search sudden i got your post its really nice and interesting also.
ReplyDelete