Happy wife; happy life. Truer words have never been spoken. But what if your wife isn’t feeling happy? What if she’s feeling frustrated and overwhelmed? When your wife is stressed out, it can often be like being stuck in a thunderstorm. You never know when the lightning is going to strike. (No offense, Babe.)
Rather than letting her flounder in her frustrations, as her husband, you should offer your help. Sometimes this looks like stepping in to take action, while at other times, it means just listening to her vent. If you’re not sure if she wants you to do something, you have to ask. A simple “Is this a problem you want help solving, or do you just need to talk?” will do the trick. After a while, you’ll become a pro at seeing the stress signals, and you’ll know exactly what to do to help put her at ease.
Take Action
Let’s say you already know what needs to be done. You see that the trash is overflowing, the dishes are piled high in the sink, and the kids have brought every single toy they own out of their bedrooms. There’s no need to ask what needs to be done in this instance… just pick up the mess, take out the trash, and/or do the damn dishes, man. It’s that simple.
Don’t ‘Help’ in a Way That Adds More Stress
This is one thing that many men fall victim to. You want to help your wife when she’s stressed out, so you try to make dinner. That’s a good thing, right? Sure, if you already know how to make the dish (or can follow a recipe), and you plan on cleaning up after, too. If cooking isn’t your thing, just order delivery or go grab some takeout if dinner is one of the stresses.
If you don’t know much about cooking, this probably isn’t the best time to ask where every ingredient is, what the next step is, which type of pan to use, and so on. She’ll be more than happy to go through all that on a calmer day.
Get the Kids Out of the House
Look guys, I get it. You may be terrible at cleaning and organizing. You may have tried to wash laundry once and ruined her favorite shirt. Something that is always going to help her out is to get the kids out of the house for a while. Your wife can move mountains when given five minutes without being interrupted ten times for a snack. Or maybe she’ll just take a well-deserved nap. Either way, spend some quality time with the kids so your wife can have a break.
Give Her Time to Herself
Last, but not least, it has nothing to do with you or the kids, but your wife needs alone time. Or maybe she needs girl time. Give her the chance to go take a hot bath or just a nap. Encourage her to go out with her friends for dinner, a movie, or drinks. Your wife can’t pour from an empty cup. She needs time to just relax.
Life gets stressful, even for your wife. She’s taking care of the kids, the house, and probably working as well. It’s a lot to deal with. Be an A+ husband and do what you can to help out when she’s stressed.
