Oscar Wilde once wisely asked, “How can a woman be expected to be happy with a man who insists on treating her as if she were a perfectly normal human being?”

Can I get a witness from my sisters reading this? The man got it right!

Actually, long before him, the Apostle Peter observed something similar. Well, sorta. He told husbands to “live with their wives in an understanding way” (1 Peter 3: 7). Peter knew it then and we know it now; sometimes we are difficult to understand!

So, I thought it would be fun to help us sisters by providing a few tips to help our men understand us. Feel free to print this, post this or pass it on to your husband. In fact, I bet it would look really good on his bathroom mirror or better yet, why don’t you just tape it to your TV screen? I bet he’ll notice it!

10 tips to live with your wife in an understanding way:

1. Make her think she is getting her way.

2. Find a way to agree with her.

3. Tell her she is cute (even when she isn’t).

4. If she’s crying, just wipe her tear and hug her. Don’t ask why or say, “don’t cry.”

5. Carry her purse when it’s heavy.  

6. Listen to what she is saying without formulating your answer.

7. Practice saying, “I understand honey” even if you have no clue what she is talking about.

8. Never ask, “How many shoes does one woman need?”

9. Hold her hand.

10. Burp less and close the toilet seat more.

Now ladies, if we want our men to live with us in an understanding way, we need to help them understand what that looks like. Communicate clearly and be honest with your man. Be kind and never condescending as you try to help him figure you out.

And, if you really want him to live with you in an understanding way, show him grace and seek to understand him too. No matter how long you’ve been with your spouse, there’s always more to learn. I know that’s true with my Dr. Phil!

Got any other tips to add to the list? I’d love to hear them. Just don’t be condescending, please. We love our husbands!