Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Great Tip Tuesday

9 Tips for getting your Sweetheart to do chores...
without nagging!


1. Suggest tasks without words. Leave a note, put an empty container on the counter. (Really? This works?? Really?? Feedback people, gimme some feedback here!)

2. Limit yourself to one word. Instead of barking out, "I've told you a dozen times, stop off at the grocery store, we need milk!" Say, "Milk!" (Uh huh...and my husband would be a smarta$$ and say, Cookies!)

3. Don't insist that task be done on your schedule. "You've got to trim those hedges today!" Why? Try, "Will you be able to trim the hedges before our party next week?" (Or before the next Ice Age perhaps??? My schedule keeps me sane. You like me sane; trust me on this one.)

4. Have clear assignments. I always call repairmen; my husband always empties the Diaper Genie. (You got your husband to empty the Diaper Genie??? BRAVO!!!!)

5. Every once in a while, do your sweetheart's task, for a treat. (Or because the vein in the center of your forehead was throbbing so badly you were afraid it would burst while waiting for him to do it! Some treat.)

6. Do it yourself. I used to be annoyed with my husband because we never had any cash. Then I realized: why did I get to assign that job? Now I do it. (Army wife here; "DIY" is our motto.)

7. Settle for a partial victory. Maybe your partner won't put dishes in the dishwasher, but getting them into the sink is an improvement. (I've married a soldier. I know he's trainable!!)

8. No carping from the sidelines. If your sweetheart made the travel arrangements, don't criticize the flight time. (Sorry, but I reserve the right to complain about stupidity and/or incompetence!)

9. Money might buy some happiness. Could you hire a teenager to mow the lawn? Eliminating conflict is a high happiness priority; spend money if it can help. (Retail therapy - 100% agreement on this!!)
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written by Gretchen Rubin (www.happiness-project.com)
Stuff in red is my snarky sarcasm!

These are probably really great tips....because I don't do any of them!! Pissing, moaning, sighing, complaining, sighing, eye rolling, sighing. These work too. Sort of. And admit it - the picture made you LAUGH OUT LOUD!!!

16 comments:

Jennifer said...

Hi there. I haven't been by in a long time.
I could do all those and 10 more and I still couldn't get anyone to do anything around here. lol

Annie said...

LOL! I loved the picture and your comments!
I'm really a lucky one and my husband does the chores on his own... But there are things he does not like to do and in those cases I have to give him two options and he picks one (normally it's the one I wanted him to pick, but he does not need to know that)he-he-he

Mrs. M said...

I always write stuff down that I want my hubby to do - he actually does it that way! Amazing!! ;)

Kristina P. said...

This is awesome! I will definitely use these.

Unknown said...

the picture totally had me laughing. And ya I tried several of those. they always result in the 12 year old favorite saying..I forgot.

Tam said...

You have no idea how funny I found this post and how timely in my life you posted this post. You just would not imagine! LOL Hope things are getting to be normal around your home! Happy Tuesday!

Anjeny said...

I agree, this is a funny post. Thanks for the laugh. {I wonder if the author knows what she's talking about.}

AliceKay said...

I'd like to see how these work in person because most of them won't work for me. LOL

Loved the pic.

Grand Pooba said...

Again, my remedy is to act like a dude, "Hey Dick, do the dishes."

Works every time.

LadyStyx said...

LOL the pic's great! Im with you on most of them. I'll mention a chore 2-3 times and then will simply give a huff and do it my self....showing how evidentally ticked off I am. This usually elicits an "I was gonna do it!!". Yeah, when? When Louisiana dries up and becomes a desert?

As for the dishes...no he doesnt get them in the dishwasher and no he doesnt put the clean ones away... HOWEVER he does manage to get the dirties into the sink...both his AND mine (we eat upstairs and I refuse to make a special trip just to put them in the sink, sorry...the knees cant handle too many trips up and down that staircase..)

Heatherlyn said...

I don't nag my husband. It just makes him groucy. And he's practically perfect anyway. If I really want something done and he's too busy (becuase he really is too busy) I find a way to do it myself. Or I beg. Begging is somehow different than nagging. I do it rarely, and it works. :)

Heatherlyn said...

Oh, and I forgot my last strategy that does not involve nagging. I attempt to do whatever it is myself (see, I reserve the big, heavy projects for my husband). And I look so pathetic that he jumps in and volunteers to save me. That seems to work the best. :)

Liz Mays said...

What? I can't possibly be married for one second longer under these new terms. ;)

Anne said...

I love your commentary - especially the part about knowing your soldier is trainable! LOL

Vickie said...

Love the picture!!

The timeline tip does not work. I know, Json tries to give me a timeline. The counter is still messy and the dishes are not always done:)

Anonymous said...

My husband's ONE indoor chore is the bathroom. I don't think he's cleaned the bathroom in a good 6 months. I always end up breaking down and doing it once I can't stand the nastiness of it.