Life at home in the 1950s was quite different. Whether it was the stiff family dinners or quiet Sundays, many families lived an almost-unrecognizable life from ours today. Let’s take a look at some of those strange household rules, according to the readers who answered our survey. Which of these do you wish could make a return?
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Children expected to be quiet at dinner
Evening meals weren’t a free-for-all, as one reader told us they were supposed to sit straight & use their napkins. They had to keep their thoughts to themselves unless they were spoken to. As for parents, they led the conversation, usually in a calm, almost rehearsed way, where laughing too loudly or interrupting was against the rules.
Formal table manners every night
Likewise, good manners were hardly something saved for special occasions, but instead, they were expected at every dinner. Many readers said they had to pass food around the “right” way & talking with their mouths full wasn’t tolerated. In fact, some families even had practice nights to make sure kids could handle a proper table setting. There was no way they would be allowed to relax at the dinner table.
Women doing nearly all the housework
Unfortunately, the idea back then went beyond mom just doing a bit more. Several readers said their moms usually did almost everything, like cooking three meals a day & ironing clothes, as well as scrubbing floors and managing the laundry. It’s because many women didn’t work outside the home. As such, chores filled their schedules, and all the day-to-day upkeep was mostly hers.
Strict gender roles shaped rooms and chores
That’s not to say dads didn’t do chores. But a few readers said there were rather clear gender lines over what each person would do. Bathrooms decked out in “Mamie pink” were marketed to women, while dens & basements were often Dad’s neck of the woods. This divided decorating choices, and jobs followed suit. Women handled interiors & daily cleaning, and men did repairs or yard work.
No TV until homework is finished
It was a universal rule for our readers that they couldn’t watch TV until they finished their homework. Kids rushed home & sat down to finish assignments because they knew they had no other choice. Since there were only a few channels & fixed broadcast times, missing a show meant they were out of luck until the rerun.
Sundays kept as a no-work day
Sundays moved at a slower pace than today, as shops were closed and chores temporarily stopped. A few readers said they spent the day visiting relatives or going to church. The laws in many states also made it harder to buy certain goods on Sundays, so for some families, that meant a true day of rest. For others, it was the one day they couldn’t run errands when they wanted to.
Dressing up even for casual family meals
One reader said that each weeknight meal involved mom changing into a fresh dress and dad slicking his hair back. The kids would have to brush up to look sharp. Yes, it really didn’t matter whether they were eating leftovers or a roast, as dinner felt like a proper occasion. And that was true even when nobody else was watching.
Kids steered away from the formal living room
Usually, 1950s homes had one room that essentially existed to look good, not to be used. A few readers said their formal living room had the nice furniture & the polished wood, maybe plastic covers for the fancier families out there. As such, kids couldn’t mess it up. The rule was they had their spaces, like backyards or dens, but that front room was sacred ground.
Guests expected a full meal, not just snacks
Many readers confessed that whenever friends stopped by, the rule wouldn’t be to simply give them a bag of chips. The kitchen simply kicked into high gear. Even a quick visit could turn into a sit-down dinner with casseroles & trays of veggies because people didn’t see hosting as something casual. The rule was that guests should always leave full.
Answering the phone with a set family greeting
Picking up the house phone used to come with a performance for many of our readers. Families had a line everyone had to use, and it was something formal like “Baker residence” or “Good evening, Wilson household.” Parents expected kids to say it clearly & politely. Mumbling? That wasn’t allowed, and they’d hear about it afterward.
Kids had to wait until dad carved the meat
One reader said they couldn’t touch the main dish until dad was ready, regardless of whether the roast was sitting there steaming. Everyone sat patiently while he got the carving knife & did the honors. Some homes took it one step further by having a special carving set that only he used. Whenever he came home late, dinner was pushed back.
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