
With increasing numbers of men staying at home to take care of the house while their more qualified wives assume professional positions in the workplace, there is an increasing need to train men to properly keep house. Asking an average man to clean the living room will likely result in his spending five minutes running the vacuum and calling the job done. Women don’t see it that way; they want perfection and to get it they’re going to have to train their men.
So, how to do this? Well, a woman’s mother or aunts can do some training. In my case, my wife’s mother and her aunt trained me on weekend visits to their homes. Another way is to farm your man out to a local woman-owned cleaning service; they can always use the extra help and he’ll not only learn how to clean house, but how to do it efficiently. I was trained this way when Nancy’s mother arranged for me to work for her friend Mary at her company, Mary Maids. A third way is emerging—formal training in housekeeping specifically aimed at stay-at-home-husbands. And I’ve gone through this type of training, too. Yes, I’m well trained and proud of it!
The women’s center where Nancy, her mother, and I volunteer has always been a local forum for advocating Matriarchy, Women’s Rights, and FLRs. Advocacy takes on many forms, and in this case it’s recognizing that men need structured training in housekeeping. This has resulted in a men-only course offered by our center, informally called Housekeeping 101.
Women have been excited about Housekeeping 101 since it gives their men needed skills without the women having to be involved in the training. Men are initially hesitant but always come to enjoy the program and appreciate how it will help them please their wives. Only the serious need apply, however. Housekeeping 101 is NOT game playing; it's hard work, and to this end, the tuition is purposely expensive—$125, non-refundable. It’s strongly suggested that men pay the tuition and additional fees from their personal funds or allowances ensuring that they’ll appreciate the training all the more.

This is a good thing! In my case I borrowed from Nancy’s mother. It took me two years to pay her back, including the 30 percent interest she added to the loan. Having to ask reinforces the FLR and reminds a man who’s in charge. In addition to tuition, men are expected to make a generous donation to at least one of a suggested list women's groups. They must prove they made the donation and their donations must be judged as appropriate by the center’s board of directors. Most men elect to make a donation directly to the women’s center to support its activities.


Men supply their own cleaning supplies as dictated by the faculty and MUST wear an apron. The course provides each man with a valuable reference book, including useful checklists such as the “52 Things That Add Up to a Clean Living Room,” lots of hands-on instruction, and an opportunity to put skills into practice.

Classes are conducted on Saturday morning at the center and a practicum is conducted Saturday afternoon. Classes begin promptly at 7:00 a.m. with students at practicum by noon. Classes consist of lectures, demonstrations, and personal instruction. Men are expected to shut up, pay attention, and take notes. There is no talking among students. Students wanting to ask a question raise their hand and, if recognized, use appropriate protocol of, “Excuse me, Madame, but I have a question” and then proceed with the question. If it is deemed appropriate, it will be answered. The women don’t hesitate to scold a student and embarrass him in front of the others if they think it necessary—and they often do.


Students and faculty return to the center after practicum and receive homework assignments that the men have to complete before the next session. This can include reading, practical work, and preparation. Preparation for laundry and ironing classes means bringing clothes to be used washed and ironed.
Every week for fifteen weeks a different topic is covered. Dusting, scrubbing, toilets, laundry, and kitchens are pretty straightforward, and most men adapt well to these tasks. Sewing and ironing can be challenging for some, so supplemental work may be required. It’s not uncommon for men to take on extra ironing or mending. Men are tested and specific goals have to be met. To be declared proficient at sewing for example, men have to fix a hem and
sew on buttons and they need to do it quickly; five buttons have to be affixed in three minutes; one doesn’t want to keep a woman waiting!
Finally, there’s an entire session on brewing a great cup of tea or coffee. “Coffee and Tea” includes instruction in properly serving these beverages to his wife and her guests with appropriate decorum. It was added because the faculty realizes that personal service is an essential component of an FLR and wanted to provide some training in this important discipline. “Coffee and Tea” includes discussion of coffee makers, coffees, various teas and how to make these. It also covers proper service protocol, including things such as always serving the oldest woman first, serving from a tray, and serving from the left and clearing from the right. “Coffee and Tea” is the capstone session to Housekeeping 101, and men really enjoy it; they look forward to going home and serving their wives. It’s also a great way to demonstrate acceptance of
the couple’s relative roles.The successful completion of the class is celebrated at a graduation dinner for attendees and spouses. Having completed the course, a man will be competent in vacuuming, washing and ironing, cleaning and dusting, maintaining a spotless kitchen, sanitizing the bathroom, and basic cooking and sewing. Women are provided with a schedule of household chores to use in putting their man on an appropriate and ongoing routine of housekeeping.
I was privileged to attend the inaugural session of this course. I've attended on two other occasions, too—the last two times not as a student, but as a “sheep dog,” as the women call me. Everyone knows men are followers, not leaders, and my job is to lead the male students in doing things the women's way. My job as a male participant is to be a good example for the other men in the group and encourage them along. Believe me, if I get up and brag about my new vacuum or about how much I love to iron, the other men will soon be doing the same—oh, yes, men are easy to control and women should be controlling us! I may appear to be “one of the boys” in the class, but I'm really one of the girls in terms of my loyalties and sentiments, and in terms of wanting to bring more men into a life of service. Men doing housekeeping is step one on the way to Matriarchy!
Advanced study – yes! We have a follow-on to “Housekeeping 101,””Gracious Living,” which continues with topics beyond basic housekeeping and includes window treatments, linens and tableware, correspondence and stationery, personal service, and so on. We may discuss this course in future postings.
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