I picked these seven things wives should stop doing from that list and added some of my own thoughts:
1. Don’t put others before your husband. If you don’t make your husband a top priority, your marriage will suffer. Wives, please remember to give your husband your freshest and best, not your leftovers.
2. Don’t expect your husband to be your girlfriend. He converses differently. He thinks differently. He processes things differently. So don’t treat him like a girlfriend or be frustrated if he doesn’t respond to you as a girlfriend would.
3. Don’t dishonor your husband. You can dishonor your spouse by the way you talk about him in a negative light to others or by the way you talk to him as if he were a child or an idiot. Be careful not to question his judgment and abilities.
4. Never use sex to bargain with your husband. Your sexual relationship is not a game. It should not be used to get what you want. It should be a very important part of your relationship. It is not something that must be “earned” by your husband, but rather should be “freely” given in your marriage relationship.
5. Stop giving your husband your long-term to-do list. Keeping your “honey do” list short-term means keeping it manageable. If your husband feels like the list is never done, he may feel defeated and discouraged about helping you with the things that need to be done. Celebrate together the projects that you finish. If you don’t, it may also communicate that you’re never content with anything he has done or will do.
6. Don’t make your husband earn your respect. Just as a husband should unconditionally love his wife, a wife should unconditionally respect her husband. That does not mean that she should like everything he does or agree with him on everything. And it does not mean that she should not address inappropriate behavior or actions with him. But it does mean that no matter what he does or says, she should treat him with dignity and honor because he is her husband.
7. Do not expect your husband to be prince charming. News flash … no husband is the perfect prince charming of your dreams. If you keep expecting him to meet every dreamy expectation you have, you’re bound to be disappointed and he’s bound to feel wholly inadequate. Try to focus on the things that you do appreciate about him.
Mark Merrill is the president of Family First. For the original article, visit markmerrill.com.
What are some other things you think wives should stop doing? Sound off, graciously, in the comments section below.
