1.21.2011

Be a Better Help Meet: 5 Things You Can Do Today


Are you a young wife or mother looking for ways to be a better help to your husband?  Here are five simple, practical things you can begin to implement today:

1.  Pray for him.  Do it this morning during your prayer time, or while the children are napping, or while they are busy at play.  Even if it is only five minutes, spend that time in prayer for your husband.

2.  Have dinner ready when he gets home.  It sounds cliche, but he's likely to be hungry when he gets home from work.  A carefully prepared, hot meal will be a blessing to him, especially if you all sit down and enjoy it peacefully together.  Use that time to ask him how his day was, and really listen.

3.  Freshen up before he gets home.  Smooth your hair, be sure you are dressed, clean, feminine, and welcoming in your appearance and demeanor.  Take a moment to freshen up the children, too.  Wash their faces.  If their clothes have peanut butter smears from lunch, change them :)

4.  Quickly clear out any mess from the day.  Ten minutes before your husband gets home, have the children pick up all of the toys that may have ventured into the living room.  Wipe down the coffee table.  Clear the mail and any papers from the kitchen counter or table. 

5.  Create a peaceful atmosphere.  Sit the children down and instruct them how to behave when Daddy arrives.  No arguing, no yelling.  Show your excitement about Daddy coming home, and ask them if they'd like to give Daddy a big hug when he walks in the door.  Do not bombard him with requests and complaints right away.  Greet him with a smile and a twinkle in your eye; then really kiss him.  Make coming home a pleasant time, something he looks forward to, and let your home be an oasis from the stresses of his daily career.  I like to light a candle and keep it burning throughout the day.

Precious mamas, what are some practical things you do each day to be a better help to your husband?


           Warmly,

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*I've been inspired recently by the book Created to be His Help Meet, resulting in my version of this list of "Be a Better Help Meet."  There is a similar one shared in the book, taken from an old home economics book if I remember correctly.  You might enjoy looking into it!  It's a wonderful book!

17 comments:

  1. those are all very practical tips, thanks for sharing :-)

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  2. Since my Beloved works 1800 miles from "home" one of the things I do is remind our children to thank him for particular things when they talk on the phone or email. That translates into gratitude for the hard work he does to provide for us, the sacrifice he is making, having to work so far from home to provide.

    And I seek to remember to offer words of gratitude throughout our conversations as well.

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  3. While the first 4 are my general routine I often miss on #3 trying to make sure the others are done since they are his priority.. but I haven't done #5! Definitely want to put that into practice.

    Another thought is just giving him a moment to collect himself. My husband goes into our bedroom to put things away and just takes a few minutes to transition from work to home.

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  4. Thanks for these great tips. I try to do all of them, but need to work on the peacefull atmosphere. I also try and get as much work done before he gets home.

    Computer work and laundry especially. That way I have more time for him and the children.

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  5. All very good and practical suggestions. Thanks for the reminder. :)

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  6. make sure the iced tea container in the fridge is full and cold

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  7. What a wonderful post! All the suggestions are important ingredients to honoring and loving our sweet husbands. It is also good for our children to see us valuing his homecomming.

    My husband is a counselor who has spent the day listening to alot of hurting people. I try to make our home peaceful, smell good, dinner ready and our children (preschool through teens) aware that they need to love daddy but then give him awhile to switch gears mentally.

    I also pray alot when he starts to talk about his day (especially when I am exhausted) that I will be fully present mentally and be a good listener. Massages on tired feet are great too!

    Thanks again for your wonderful reminder!

    Blessings!
    Malinda @
    vintagehomesteademporium

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  8. Sweet Jamie,
    I read your list aloud to Brent and he might near swooned.

    As a creative, I'm really bad about having the day's projects scattered about. Picking up the clutter is a good idea.

    I have to say, to my chagrin, that our 4 are ALL high energy, high volume. When the sound of the garage door reverberates all through the house, four sets of feet start pounding up the stairs, down the stairs from their room or up the stairs from the basement with cries of "DADDDDDYYYYYY". They just about knock him down, the baby climbing up his legs and the big kids attacking him from behind.

    Then it is a barrage of "let me tell you..." from each of them, spilling out the days activities.

    Maybe I'll have that "Father needs some peace" talk with them....

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  9. @Rachel, I'll bet he feels so special when the children greet him with all that excitement :) They love to see Daddy home; that is so beautiful! xoxo

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  10. thank you for this. it's a beautiful reminder of how we as women can be wonderful "safe havens" for our husbands....i am working on this myself. not an easy task for someone who is out of practice and just beginning but i am praying about it. =)

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  11. Hi Jaime,
    I have enjoyed my visit with you. We are truly kindred spirits and sisters in Christ.I love reading about the food you prepare. Cooking is one of my passions.
    Stop by and visit me soon.
    Blessings,
    Elizabeth

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  12. Oh and have you read To Train Up a Child by the same people?

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  13. Wonderful post. I've been married for 36 years and although our children are raised, I still need to be careful when he walks in the door to give him some space, a hot supper and a kiss before bombarding him with "life." Good suggestions!

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  14. This is a wonderful post. When my hubby gets home I make sure there is nothing that he has to do. I try to take care of all matters so taht he can rest and releax for the evening.

    New follower can not wait to see more.
    Have a blessed day.

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  15. Thank you for these wonderful tips! I generally try to do these but here lately with the stresses of life I have let them slip...thank you for the reminder! :) I also usually try to slip a note into his lunch bag, letting him know that I love him and I hope he has a great day. Sometimes around the dinner table I will thank him for going to work for our family, for being a great dad, this always makes him feel really special and valued. The kids even join in sometimes thanking him for different little things he provides for them.
    Thank you once again for this wonderful post!
    ~Tiffany~

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  16. Beautiful ideas. I try to do all of those things except I only try to make sure everyone's faces are clean and hair nice. I need to consider when the little one has spilled food or drink on her clothes to change her so that she looks nice when Daddy gets home. Plus, with my wonderful husband I never know when he might surprise me and take us somewhere to eat and it would prevent the wait of me going to change the toddler into something clean. Something else I try to do is have the tv off or low volume and everyone settled down instead of in a roar playing.
    Smiles, Cass

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I truly enjoy reading your comments. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts; you've all helped to create a wonderful little community here at Like a Bubbling Brook.

Please remember the old adage "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all." While I love to hear from you, comments encouraging division and condemnation will not be published - rather, they will be promptly deleted.

I'm looking forward to reading what you have to say! I wish we could chat over coffee or tea one day ~

xoxo,

Jaime

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