20 Things Husbands Want to Hear From Their Wives
Mark Merrill

Mark Twain once commented, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.” I agree. There is nothing like specific and detailed praise and validation to energize a marriage. After some research here at Family First, we found the 10 things husbands want to hear most from their wives. And if we missed one, please post your idea in the comments section below.

1. “I love being your wife.” As simple as it sounds, husbands want to know that their wives are content in their marriage and truly enjoy just being with them. When is the last time you thanked your husband for marrying you? Don’t just assume he knows. Tell him!

2. “You’re an outstanding father.” Deep in the heart of every man is the desire to be seen as a hero-especially to his children. Specifically tell your husband why he is your kids’ hero. And tonight at dinner, tell your children why he is so special.

3. “I’m really attracted to you. You are the man!” It’s a myth that women are always more looks-conscious than men. As guys’ hairlines begin to recede and stomachs start protruding, they can become quite sensitive about their appearance. Never joke about how your husband looks. Tell him he’s “hot” and how attracted you are to him.

4. “I really respect the decision you made.” When a man makes a decision, especially a tough one, he doesn’t want his wife being critical of it or questioning him about it. He wants to know that his wife is behind him and admires his ability to make good decisions.

5. “I know how important it is to live within our means.” I’m with you on this. Your husband is concerned about the future of your family. That means he is concerned about taking care of his family financially. Having a wife he can rely on to spend and save wisely is a tremendous comfort to him.

6. “I’m so grateful for your spiritual leadership.” All of us are hardwired for a relationship with God, and many men want to be seen as the spiritual caretakers of their families. Encourage your husband in his faith and for taking his role as a spiritual leader seriously.

7. “You are so wise.” Many men are born problem-solvers and relish the process of thinking through something and arriving at a solution. This, incidentally, is why your husband is always trying to “fix” your problems when all you want him to do is listen. Recognizing your husband’s mental prowess and complimenting him on his intelligence will pay massive dividends to you. Emphasize to him that you trust his wise judgment.

8. “I appreciate how hard you work to provide for our family.” There are many things in life that your husband cannot control, but one he can control is effort. It brings him great pleasure to work hard and see the results. To directly control and be the man responsible for creating something from nothing thrills him. Encourage his great work ethic.

9. “Thank you very much for helping me with that.” When a man serves his wife, he wants her to recognize it. A simple “thank you” is all he needs.

10. “I’m impressed with how you handled that situation.” Sometimes a wife will point out when her husband does not handle something well. So when he handles a particularly difficult situation well, let him know.

As I’ve shared in several blog posts, the tongue is powerful and words can hurt or heal, tear down or build up. People crave words that help, heal, affirm, build up, and breathe life.

Because so many shared, tweeted, pinned, posted, and liked a previous post, 10 Things Husbands Want to Hear from their Wives, I thought I’d share a few more. Here they are:

1. “I’m always on your team.” When you and your spouse face a difficult choice, be sure your husband knows that you are his teammate, not his enemy.
2. “I wouldn’t want to be on this journey with anyone else.” Life is a journey. Along the way, you’ll witness things that are breath-taking, but you’ll also experience things that are hurtful and sad. Let your husband know that you’re with him no matter what.
3. “I don’t say it enough, but you are a good man and a good husband.” Don’t be slow to tell your husband that you admire him for the man he is.
4. “I don’t understand, but I know you’ll make the right decision.” Life is full of tough decisions. So when you aren’t sure how to handle something, tell your husband you trust him to make the right choice for your family.
5. “I hope our daughter marries a man just like you.” Let your husband know that you admire his character. Tell him how you desire for your daughter to find a man with similar integrity.
6. “I really appreciate you planning our date.” It’s not always a man’s natural tendency to be creative and romantic. So when your husband plans something special, appreciate him and his effort to be a gentleman.
7. “I’m thankful that you always have my best interests at heart.” Recognize how you know your husband wants the best for you.
8. “You make life more fun.” Be sure to point out the moments when your husband makes you laugh.
9. “I can depend on you to take care of our family.” Let your husband know that you appreciate being able to depend on him to take care of you and your children.
10. “You are really courageous.” Your husband faces fears every day-fear of rejection, fear of loss, fear of failure. Be sure to praise him for standing up to these fears with immense courage.

What are some other things husbands want to hear from their wives? Please share in the comments below.

Mark Merrill is the president of Family First. For the original article, visit markmerrill.com.

The above article, “20 Things Husbands Want to Hear From Their Wives” is written by Mark Merrill. The article was excerpted from: www.markmerrill.com web site. December 2013.

The material is copyrighted and should not be reprinted under any other name or author. However, this material may be freely used for personal study or research purposes.