What Can I Do to Give My Wife the Time & Attention She Deserves?
After being married for a few years, it can be easy for spouses to fall into a routine of work, kids and house responsibilities. Oftentimes when this happens, spouses don’t get to spend much time with each other and drift apart. This can lead to unhappiness in the marriage, especially when one spouse feels ignored or neglected. As a husband, there are some things you can do to make sure you spend time with your wife and maintain your happy relationship.
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Date Nights
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Relationship experts often recommend date nights as part of a happy marriage. Setting aside time to spend together – whether it’s a dinner at a fancy restaurant or just a quiet evening at home with a rented movie – gives you a chance to reconnect and remember why you wanted to be with your spouse. And if your wife knows that you have committed to a specific time to spend with her, she is less likely to feel neglected and upset when you have to work late or want to spend time with your friends. Schedule a weekly date with your wife, and keep that time sacred – you can only cancel or reschedule in a true emergency.
Stolen Moments
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While scheduling regular "alone time" with your wife helps keep your marriage on track, you should give your wife some attention every day. Try to find something that you can do together every day whether it’s sharing coffee in the morning or taking a walk after dinner. Call her in the middle of the day just to say hello and see how her day is going, or help her prepare dinner once you get home. Even just a few minutes a day of undivided attention can make a difference and help your wife feel more satisfied with your marriage. Look for ways you can find extra minutes with your wife; for example, go to work an hour earlier so you can leave earlier in the day and miss rush hour traffic, getting you home to your wife sooner.
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Limit Electronics
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Electronics have become an inevitable part of every day life. Computers, phones, televisions and game systems can distract you from interacting with your wife. If you’re having a conversation and checking your phone every two minutes to read a message or the latest social media update from your college roommate, your wife is probably going to feel ignored. To prevent this, set aside an electronics-free time each evening when you can give your wife your full attention. Turn off or silence the phone, shut off the television and pay attention to what she’s saying. And never bring the smartphone into the bedroom.
Make Sacrifices
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Sometimes, giving your wife the time and attention she deserves requires making a sacrifice. If it feels like it’s been weeks since you’ve spent any time with her, it might be a good idea to skip the Saturday round of golf or the Thursday night poker game to stay home and spend some time with her. You don’t have to give up all of your favorite pastimes, but you do need to find balance – and chances are, she wants to spend time with her friends and hobbies too. Talk with your wife to determine a schedule that works for everyone; perhaps you could only play poker every other week, or hit the links once a month.
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References
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