It was easy for me to lose it when my husband Jake gave me a schedule to “improve” my wifely tasks. Instead, I saw a chance to teach him something important.
Steve, Jake’s friend, had been telling him old-fashioned things about marriage, like how the wife should run the house and always look perfect. I wasn’t going to let Jake off the hook, though.
It was ridiculous that she had to get up at 5 a.m., look like a beauty, cook gourmet meals, and clean the house. I knew I had to speak out, but I did it in a unique way.
I made my own plan for Jake, which included expensive things like hiring a personal trainer and getting a big pay raise to replace my income. His smile went away quickly when he saw the list.
Then he realised what he was expecting was not only unfair but also not doable. I carefully told them that marriage isn’t about trying to “fix” each other or follow an old script, it’s about respecting each other.
Jake said sorry, and the plan was torn up by all of us. It was a good lesson that being married is a team sport, not a race to be the “best” partner.
We improved our relationship and learnt to value each other’s worth by turning a potentially explosive situation into a chance to learn.
