Being “Mr. Fixit" is a Losing Strategy
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 8:29 pm
The nature of men is to want to fix everything. Your wife has a problem on the job or anemotionalwith another woman and you immediately tell her how to fix it. She doesn’t want that, she wants another woman who will let her vent, commiserate with her and it will pass. Because you have a history of knowing how to fix everything (plumbing, electrical, cabinet repair, flooring, lights, etc.) she finally concludes that if there is a problem it is your job to fix it.
I’m soon to be 75 (a Ph.D. Psychologist who should know better) and my past behaviors on being able to fix everything have come back to haunt me. I’m also the person who posted the “How to Piss off. . .in 4 Words.”
In the past few years if my wife has a problem she makes it my problem. Tonight she wanted to know where the “Friday” paper was. I didn’t know but told her that since it had arrived after everything was in the trash it wasn’t there. She insisted that I check. I told her to check. I also told her that it wasn’t my problem since I wasn’t looking for it. She stalked off. I have no idea what she did with it but I did check and it wasn’t in the trash.
So, level the playing field (male or female members). If it is your problem you fix it. If it is a mutual problem (house repair, etc. agree on the solution – if you call a plumber let the man fix it; if the man of the house is going to do it let him do it without supervision – you don’t supervise a plumber). Don’t demand, intimidate, use feminine whiles (men don’t have those and can’t even buy a spray on for them) to get someone else to solve your problem.
You will avoid problems and rancor later in life as well as a spouse wondering why she is no longer getting her way in everything she wants. It’s a bad deal for both parties.
I’m soon to be 75 (a Ph.D. Psychologist who should know better) and my past behaviors on being able to fix everything have come back to haunt me. I’m also the person who posted the “How to Piss off. . .in 4 Words.”
In the past few years if my wife has a problem she makes it my problem. Tonight she wanted to know where the “Friday” paper was. I didn’t know but told her that since it had arrived after everything was in the trash it wasn’t there. She insisted that I check. I told her to check. I also told her that it wasn’t my problem since I wasn’t looking for it. She stalked off. I have no idea what she did with it but I did check and it wasn’t in the trash.
So, level the playing field (male or female members). If it is your problem you fix it. If it is a mutual problem (house repair, etc. agree on the solution – if you call a plumber let the man fix it; if the man of the house is going to do it let him do it without supervision – you don’t supervise a plumber). Don’t demand, intimidate, use feminine whiles (men don’t have those and can’t even buy a spray on for them) to get someone else to solve your problem.
You will avoid problems and rancor later in life as well as a spouse wondering why she is no longer getting her way in everything she wants. It’s a bad deal for both parties.