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Five ways a husband can help his wife at home

Traditionally in our culture we have seen the area of housework firmly in the category of wifely duties. In fact, some have taken this cultural practice and attempted to spiritualize it by tacking on a Bible verse or two. Yet for every verse that teaches a wife is take care of the home (Titus 2:5) there is another verse that teaches a husband is to be the leading servant in the home (Ephesians 5:25). Though we as Christian men understand that our position in the home is to be that of servant, we often find that our wives do more around the house than we do. So, I came up with a few ideas that might just help us out.

Alright, to begin with, I am not the best husband that has ever lived. In fact, I’m not even the best married person in my home. However, I have learned a few things over the years. Here are 5 simple things that you can do to help your wife at home.

1. Make the Bed
If you happen to be the last person out of bed on a particular morning, make it up. I hate making the bed because I know that I;m just going to crawl right back in about 16 hours later that day. Seems like a waste. However, this little act can mean so very much to a spouse that feels as if the housework will never end.

2. Clean the Kitchen
If you have kids in the home you know that it is difficult to keep anything clean for very long. We have 3 in our house and it seems as if the kitchen is a continual task. I have found that 45 minutes in the kitchen can get that thing right back into shape.

3. Bathe the Kids
Babies smell wonderful. Little kids stink bad! We have a 7-yr-old girl and a 5-yr-old girl, both of whom have long hair. It’s a real process to bathe, dress, comb out and dry the hair. If you can do this for your wife who feels obligated to have children who don’t look unkept, then do it. Honestly, If it were up to me, all 3 of our children would perpetually look like Pig-Pen from Charlie Brown.

4. Make Dinner
I like this area. I like to cook, and usually the family will even eat what I have prepared. Though Heather does the majority of cooking at our house I have learned a few dishes that I can do rather well. Sometimes I notice that she just needs a night off and instead of just bringing home some takeout it’s better to prepare the meal that dad is known for.

5. Turn Off the TV
In my experience with pastoral counseling, most couples tell me that their biggest struggle is with communication. One of the obstacles in good communication for the modern married couple is that dumb, wall-mounted screen. It makes so much noise and sometimes just needs to be turned off. Take time to turn off the TV and talk with your dear wife.

These are my ideas. What things have you done that have helped your wife in the home? Are you the wife? What things have your husband done for you around the house that we might be able to learn from him? Comment Here:

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  • Reply
    alicia
    December 17, 2013 at 9:41 am

    After our last baby, my hubby did the laundry for awhile. For a family of 8 that is a chore! I eventually took that Oliver again as he has a busy schedule, but what a blessing. Help with laundry is always appreciated… especially putting it away!! πŸ™‚

    • Reply
      Joshua Teis
      December 17, 2013 at 9:49 am

      Alicia,
      A family of 8 and laundry – that phrase already has me tired. Your husband is the man!

    • Reply
      Alicia
      December 17, 2013 at 12:08 pm

      lol… just read that… darn auto correct! over, not Oliver! =)

  • Reply
    Brent
    December 17, 2013 at 9:42 am

    Put your dirty clothes where they belong, NOT on the floor for her to pick up. πŸ™‚

    • Reply
      Joshua Teis
      December 17, 2013 at 9:49 am

      Thanks Brent! Succinct and practical!

  • Reply
    Modesta
    December 17, 2013 at 9:44 am

    I’ve enjoyed reading this blog. It really made me grateful for my husband who has always been so helpful around the house, and is now even more so. It makes me want to be a better wife. πŸ™‚

    • Reply
      Joshua Teis
      December 17, 2013 at 9:50 am

      A husband like yours is a rare thing. Value him. Thank you for sharing.

  • Reply
    Mrs. R
    December 17, 2013 at 10:38 am

    Great article! I’m thankful for men, like my husband and you, who are willing to love and serve in such a Christlike way.
    My husband, a busy youth pastor, makes a point to sit down together for about ten minutes each week to talk about schedules. If one of us is particularly overloaded, we pick up slack however we can (grocery shopping, running errands, etc). Even, if I don’t give him too many “honey-do’s”, it means so much just knowing he cares.

    • Reply
      Joshua Teis
      December 17, 2013 at 11:06 am

      Mrs. R,

      Thank you for your comment. It’s interesting to note that you identify his willingness to serve as “knowing he cares”
      Serving our spouse is just one way to really express our care and devotion.

  • Reply
    Anonymous
    December 17, 2013 at 11:02 am

    I LOVE when Neal mops the floor…he does it at least once a week! Such a huge help! {especially bc I hate that job!}

    • Reply
      Joshua Teis
      December 17, 2013 at 11:08 am

      Anonymous,
      Neal sounds like a great husband.

  • Reply
    Jessica Rodgers
    December 17, 2013 at 12:11 pm

    I love it when my hubby takes the kids with him to go run errands (especially our 19 month old). It helps me be able to get a little more done around the house then I normally would be able too. It’s good bonding time for them too. πŸ™‚

    • Reply
      Joshua Teis
      December 17, 2013 at 4:04 pm

      An empty house is an easy house to clean. Heather would totally agree.

  • Reply
    Francis Keaton
    December 17, 2013 at 12:35 pm

    perhaps this is the wrong blog for a man to comment, However. as I’m semi-retired, I usually enjoy doing about 1/2 the cooking. I clean on command as I have not been trained to see dirt and at my age it ain’t never going to be natural. Turning off the TV would not be an option here, but going to another room to watch football is an acceptable compromise to laboring with Dr OZ

    • Reply
      Joshua Teis
      December 17, 2013 at 4:05 pm

      Hah – That was funny. I especially liked the fact that you are trained to “clean on command”

  • Reply
    Jennifer
    December 17, 2013 at 1:21 pm

    Makes me thankful for my husband who does all of those and much much more! God blessed me with a wonderful man and I don’t tell him enough how thankful I am for all the little things he does. The little things add up! Thanks for posting this. Now I gotta go tell Josh what grateful I am to be married to him!

    • Reply
      Bethany L.
      December 17, 2013 at 1:45 pm

      Ditto to my David! He did much before I got sick, and now even more.
      I just had a procedure, and he came home from work to feed me and to remove my dressing at 24 hours, and stopped on the way home to get appropriate-sized waterproof bandages to cover my little incisions.

      • Reply
        Joshua Teis
        December 17, 2013 at 4:07 pm

        Bethany – that is beautiful – the very definition of “in sickness and in health”

        Way to man up David – you are my new hero

    • Reply
      Joshua Teis
      December 17, 2013 at 4:06 pm

      Yes – express to your husband how thankful you are to be married to him. He is a great guy and we are thankful to have you both at SHBC

  • Reply
    Out of the Mouth of Babes… OhMy… @ Jaclyn Palmer.com
    December 17, 2013 at 4:02 pm

    […] Pastor, whom I love and adore, just posted a blog titled Five Ways a Husband Can Help His Wife at Home. To this I […]

    • Reply
      Joshua Teis
      December 17, 2013 at 4:09 pm

      Hey Cuz. great connection between posts today. Thanks for the encouragement

  • Reply
    Chrissy Teis
    December 17, 2013 at 5:22 pm

    Sometimes I think you & my husband may truly be secretly related… He’s the best & I am blessed.

    • Reply
      Anonymous
      December 17, 2013 at 8:26 pm

      Having the last name with a guy who seems to be so similar is odd. But the truth is we are truly part of a larger family with a superior father. Thankful for our common faith!

  • Reply
    Alan
    December 17, 2013 at 5:37 pm

    I am to old to change. It took a life time for my wife to house brake me. But I do take out the garbage.

    • Reply
      Joshua Teis
      December 17, 2013 at 8:30 pm

      Alan, I’m sure you are a wonderful husband

      And the garbage thing… A great job… I’ve delegated that one to my 10 year old boy. Hopefully he will be doing that one for the next 8 years.

  • Reply
    Linette Winsler
    December 17, 2013 at 5:54 pm

    I will say a big AMEN to what you said. Thankyou

    • Reply
      Joshua Teis
      December 17, 2013 at 8:31 pm

      Thanks Linette! We are praying for your dear John.

  • Reply
    kenny
    December 18, 2013 at 8:34 am

    The leave it to beaver days are over men… Know a day’s women want careers…or both want to work and not have kids at the moment… In our case wife works daddy stays at home. we didn’t even plan for it to happen this way BUT. Michael Keaton Mr. Mom has nothing on me.lol. Day starts with vacuuming, cleaning rooms cleaning cat and dog, wash cloths, cleaning kitchen,patio,den bathrooms..school homework awana hw, play time, pick up drop off wife at work and take her anywhere she needs to go etc. These are just a few of my favorite things… I do follow the Monday church rule.. being closed on Mondays… And like the house wife needs to go out to a movie every now and then or date…so do the daddy’s at home πŸ™‚ oops can forget cooking. Lol

    • Reply
      Joshua Teis
      December 18, 2013 at 4:22 pm

      You’re a good dad kenny and you and jeanette are doing a wonderful job with little AJ.

  • Reply
    Tracy Bradford
    December 19, 2013 at 12:11 pm

    When you come home from work, LISTEN to your wife’s day.
    That is the most important thing you can “do around the house”, as it will direct you to what’s important at that specific moment.

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