How to be a good wife

Being a good wife isn't about making your husband happy. It's about doing what's right for both of you -- and I don't just mean because it will lead to a better marriage, either. A good relationship is based on mutual respect and selflessness, not selfishness. If you want to be with someone who treats you well and loves you unconditionally, then it makes sense that you would treat that person in return with kindness and consideration. So follow these tips if they sound appealing -- but most importantly: Be your authentic self!

Maintain your independence.

Your husband needs to know that you are strong and independent. When he sees that you are able to handle things on your own, he will be more confident in the relationship and feel less like he has to "take care of" you.

If it is important for him for you to maintain your independence, then ask him if there is anything specific that would help him feel better about it (which may have nothing at all to do with the way you dress or act).

Communicate.

You should talk to your partner, especially if you are dealing with something important. You don’t want to assume that your spouse knows what you need or feel, so be sure to communicate with them instead of assuming a certain outcome.

When you are communicating with each other and listening closely, there can be a better understanding between the two of you. This understanding will lead to a more stable marriage and less confusion for both parties involved in the relationship.

Put your husband first.

One of the most important things you can do to ensure your marriage is successful is prioritize your husband. He should be the most important person in your life. This doesn't mean that you should put him first over your children, it just means that he should be number one when it comes to how much time you spend with him and how much attention you pay him.

In many ways, being a good wife is like being a good mother: You are not a dictator; rather, you are part of a team with your husband that works together as co-parents for their children's sake. Your job is to provide support and guidance for them so they can become responsible adults who make wise decisions throughout their lives—not just now but also years from now when they're starting families of their own (if they haven't already).

As long as he's happy at home then everything else will fall into place because no matter what happens outside of our home we'll always have each other's backs."

Compliment him regularly.

The first step to being a good wife is to make sure your husband feels appreciated. Men are simple creatures and they need to know that their efforts are appreciated by the people around them. You can do this in several ways, but the most important thing is to do it regularly.

• Tell him he looks good when he comes home from work.
• Tell him he's smart when you see him making an intelligent decision or solving a problem at work.
• Tell him he's funny when he makes you laugh even if no one else is around.
• Tell him how much you appreciate his fathering skills and tell him how proud of him you are for doing such a great job raising [his kids].

Respect him.

Respect is not about bowing down to your husband. It’s not about putting him on a pedestal, worshiping every word he says or falling into line with his decisions without thinking for yourself.

No, respect is about seeing him as a person who deserves your consideration and care. It’s about acknowledging his individuality and the fact that he may have different thoughts, feelings and opinions from you.

Respect requires an open mind—not necessarily agreement with everything your husband says or does but genuine understanding of why he believes what he believes, feels what he feels and acts in certain ways. If you can understand where someone is coming from, it's easier to forgive them when they make mistakes or act badly (and we all do this at times).

Play a part in family finances.

• Don't be a financial burden.

You should not, under any circumstances, be the financial burden of your husband. This does not mean that you should be completely dependent on him for everything and expect him to pay for everything. It means that you should help out with the household finances as much as possible by contributing your fair share into the family budget.

• Don't nag.

You may want things to change or get better in terms of your finances, but if you insist on being unreasonable or demanding at every turn and calling it "being supportive," then there's no way this will work out well for either one of you—and it definitely won't make him respect or love you more! Instead of complaining about something over and over again (i.e., "I wish we could afford bigger groceries."), try suggesting ways in which he could improve things so there's less stress on both sides when it comes time to make decisions about how much money goes where each month: "What if we negotiated a budget plan where we only buy one big thing per week instead?"

Be his friend and lover.

There are many ways you can be a good wife. But if you want to make sure that your husband is happy, and that he loves you for the rest of his life, this is what I would recommend:

• Be his friend.
• Be his lover.
• Be his partner in life, who shares the joys and sorrows with him as they come along.
• Be his confidante when he wants to talk about something important in his life or when he needs advice on something that's bothering him at work (or even if it's just dealing with family).

Respect his need for space.

• Show respect for his need for space.

If your husband is a homebody, he may like to have time alone in the evening after work or while you're out with friends. Understand that he may not want to go on every outing with you or be interested in watching every TV show or movie. Give him the space he wants and don't take it personally if he says no sometimes.

Cook for him

Cooking is a good way to show you care. Cooking is a good way to show that you are a good wife, mother and daughter. When your husband or son comes home after a long day of work and all he wants to do is relax, the last thing he wants to see when he walks through the door is a pile of laundry on top of his clean clothes from yesterday. He also doesn't want to eat takeout every night either. Cooking for family members shows that you think about their needs and wants instead of just your own desires.

• Don't complain when he wants to spend time with his friends or family.
• Don't complain about him spending time with his friends or family.
• Don't complain about him spending time with you.
• Don't complain about him spending time with his work.
• Don't complain about him spending time with himself.

Show interest in his job and hobbies.

You don't have to be an expert on his job or hobbies. If you want to help him, just ask questions and show interest in his interests. Ask him about the projects he's working on, or what he thinks of a particular industry trend. He'll appreciate that you're trying to learn more about something that matters to him—and it shows that your relationship is built on sharing ideas and experiences together as equals, not just being good friends who happen to share a living space.

If there are certain skills or knowledge that he thinks would come in handy for you (for example: if your husband works as an accountant), ask if he'd teach them to you so that when the time comes for one of those dreaded tax returns or budget meetings (who wants those?), at least one person will know what they're doing!

You should be a good wife because that's the right thing to do.

You should be a good wife because that's the right thing to do, not because you get something out of it or because you want him to be a good husband in return.

When you think about it, being a good wife is simply the right thing to do. It's not a competition—you're not playing against other wives or trying to win some sort of prize at home. Being a good wife has nothing to do with your husband's behavior and everything to do with how you conduct yourself as his spouse and partner for life. You don't need him as much as he needs you, so why would he deserve anything from you?

Conclusion

Being a good wife is not always easy, but it can make your marriage a lot stronger. If you're wondering how to be a good wife, follow these tips and see what happens! I hope they help you have happier relationships with everyone around you.