by: Mark Dixon
A couple weeks ago a very close friend of mines by the name of James and I were having a conversation about family and the importance of marriage. James is well known amongst our network of friends for been very old fashion and a big advocate of families in which the husband is the sole provider. According to James “I work 60 hours a week doing construction for a major company in Jamaica so that I can provide food, clothes, and shelter for my family. My wife Monica and I have been married for over 5 years and is a stay at home mom who has nothing to worry about. All she has to do is take care of our kids, the house, shop and cook. To me, she is living every wife’s dream when she has a husband that gives her the option not to work. I love my wife and children a lot and I think together we make the perfect family.”
James is without question a family man and is in my opinion the perfect example of a guy who only wasn’t the best for his family. However, in his effort to provide his family with everything they need; could it be that he is also unknowingly giving his wife the impression that she’s “just a house wife”? I’m sure that wouldn’t be his intent, but for the few who are ignoring the silent cries of their wives. Putting a side a day of the week or month to pamper her will not only make her feel appreciated but it will also be beneficial to your marriage. And although a lot of wives are happy with the idea of staying at home and taking care of the kids. The absence of love, affection and feelings of appreciation is always in her train of thoughts and may negatively affect the relationship in the long run.
To avoid this, I’ve taken the liberty of putting together a list of 10 suggestions on showing your wife the love, affection and appreciation she desires.
1. Treat your wife to a romantic dinner at a upscale restaurant once or twice a month
2. Take her for a walk in the park so that you guys can engage each other in conversations about issues outside the family
3. Take your wife out shopping at her favorite mall, shopping center or clothing store
4. On your way home from work stop at the gift shop and buy her a dozen roses and a nice card
5. Introduce your pen to paper and write a nice poem or letter to express how much you love and appreciate her as your Queen
6. Don’t wait until Mothers day or her birthday to surprise your wife with a nice gift for no particular reason
7. Take the day off from work, put on your “maid outfit” and clean the house from top to bottom
8. Spontaneously ask your wife out on a date
9. Offer to cook dinner for the family
10. Offer to baby sit the kids and give your wife the freedom to go have a ladies night out
It’s a husband’s dream to be able to provide for his wife and kids with everything they need. Also, to be able to offer his wife the option to not work without she having to worry about how the bills will be paid. Like James, a lot of husbands in their quest to create the perfect family often unknowingly ignore the silent cries of their wives. To ensure that you acknowledge and show appreciation to your wife, it is important that you [the husband] set aside a day or few hours to give her the treatment she deserves.
