The Tidy House by Carolyn Steedman - book review

The Tidy House first came out in 1982. It is 'differently brilliant.' The book The Tidy House is written as a group effort by Carla, Lindie and Melissa, three 8year old schoolgirls in East London who their teacher, Carolyn Steedman taped. So the story itself is written by the girls and presented by Carolyn.

The girls appear to have had fun with their homespun saga of Mums, Dads, troublesome little boys, birthday treats, the family cat, Polkadot the rabbit and family planning. At one point the doctor tells Jo, a mum in their book, that she might have twins if she and her husband do the ----ing harder! The girls leave the rude word blank. They are aware that children are an essential and wanted part of the family but can be a pest, need money spent on them for essentials and treats and make a tidy house untidy. It doesn't do to spoil them when they cry and to shut them up with a 10p or an icecream, Carl their 4 year old creation is a spoiled brat and the authors dislike him apart from on his birthday when he is allowed to get spoiled and gets a birthday cake and a toy car.The girls also work well together as a group.

Carolyn who after 8 years of teaching returned to uni and pursued an academic career provides a lot of context re the history and socialisation of working class children within the education system and is strong on gender differences. She has written in another book True, Dare or Promise, girls growing up in the 50s ed Liz Heron of her own childhood, Dad left Mum, and Mum and Carolyn and kid Sis found our at his funeral that he had an earlier family up North before moving to London. Mum was born in Burnley and worked in a laundry before moving to London. She trained as a manicurist when she was 45 and worked in department store in London. She did not have much time for Carolyn and her sister Claire.

Lots of complex attitudes displayed by the author. Cold and rigourous analysis with the whitehot passion of wanting to indicate and prove relevant issues simmering beneath. Lots of interesting and useful background info.And piles and piles of footnotes. Her own house of tidiness.

Carla, Lindie, and Melissa  often have old heads on their young shoulders but they are also ordinary girls with a great sense of fun. Where are they now?