How to Treat Your Spouse With Respect

Treat each other with respect in order to have a healthy relationship.

Whether you've been married ten months or ten years, you should treat your spouse with respect and be respected in return. Being respectful to each other is particularly important if you have children who will watch your behavior and mimic it throughout their lives. Regardless of how busy your life gets, you should always make your spouse a priority. Maintaining a level of respect will strengthen your bond and improve your relationship.

Instructions

1. Let your spouse know how you feel about her. Tell her that you love her regularly. Most importantly, mean what you say, and be genuine when expressing your feelings. Communication is key to any relationship. If one of you is traveling, it becomes even more important, because physical distance can bring about emotional distance. It's easy to let your relationship slide if you don't see each other on a regular basis. You want to maintain a connection even if you're thousands of miles apart.

2. Acknowledge the things that your spouse does well. When schedules get busy, it can be easy to overlook the small things in your relationship. However, these are the times when it's increasingly important to let your spouse know that you notice how great a husband or father he is. Thank your husband when he helps you out with a task, and send him little notes from time to time just to say you're thinking about him.

3. Set a weekly date night and stick to it, no matter what else comes up. Taking time out for your relationship shows both partners that the relationship is important. One-on-one dates keep a relationship healthy. On the same note, try to get away together, whether for a long, ten-day vacation or just a quick weekend without the kids.

4. Listen to her point of view, even if the two of you are disagreeing. While you don't have to change your own mind about an issue, it's important to at least listen to your spouse and let her know that you understand her viewpoint, even if you maintain your own.

5. Keep arguments private. While it's tempting to retell your latest argument with your spouse to your mother or close girlfriends, doing so puts everybody in an uncomfortable situation. Your husband shouldn't feel that he can't have a bad moment without you relaying the information to other people. Also, the person you told may begin to lose respect for your spouse, and this will be difficult once you and your husband have moved on from the problem.

References

• The Christian Broadcasting Network; Treat Your Spouse Like Royalty; Jim Burns
• Marriage Missions: 100 Ways You Can Love Your Husband His Way