Dear sweet little boys of mine,
I wanted to take a few minutes and write you a letter. A letter I will share with you when you are a little older. Y'all are only 11, 8 and 10 mos. as I'm writing this, but that's why I am writing this now. Y'all have fried my brain and if I don't get this out now while it's fresh...it may never happen! I just wanted to give you a few tips on how to be a good husband to a Mommy. You see, marriage itself will pose it's own highs and lows, triumphs and challenges but once you have your own little ones...all bets are off. It's a whole new ball game! The most exciting game you will ever play :) In our family - the best example I can show you is your own Daddy. The tips in this letter come straight from the many things he does that are just so right. He didn't always know how to do all of these things. I didn't even know how badly I would need him to know these things. You see, for a long time, we were just David and Suzanne. And, can I just add, we rocked it! And, then one day, we became Mommy and Daddy and everything changed. A whole new world opened up before us and I can't for one second imagine a better world to live in. So, here are a few tips to help you be the best husband you can be for your wife who is now the mother of your children.
- Help clean the house. You know all those chores I always make you do? Vacuuming, dishes, laundry? I don't just do it for the free labor...it's to help you be a better husband one day. Life is messy, work together to clean it up.
- Take the kids - somewhere else. Mommies love being with their babies but even they need a little alone time at the house every once in a while. Give her a little time to clean, make dinner in peace, take a bubble bath or just stare at the walls. Trust me - it will benefit you more than you realize.
- Tell her she's pretty. Mommies tend to throw all of their energy into their kiddos - as well they should. However, we start to see ourselves as just Mommy, and lose sight of the vibrant women we really are. Even, if she's up to her elbows in poopy diapers and snot wearing yesterday's pajamas with her hair in a ponytail...let her know ya still think she's hot :)
- Learn how to change a dadgum diaper....enough said.
- Work hard so she doesn't have to. In our home, that means Daddy works at the office and Mommy is at home. If your wife works outside of the home, do more at the house. Being a parent is hard work - many times the tough parts fall on the Mommy. Late night feedings, teething sleepless baby, mountains of homework, doctor's visits, etc. Do everything you can to lighten her load to help her be the best Mommy she can be.
- Play an active role in your children's lives. Be involved, know what's going on. What's up at school? How are the grades? What new cute trick did baby learn today? Regardless of whether Mommy is a stay at home mom or not, she is going to be completely immersed in her children's day to day lives. Get in there with her, it's a really cool place to be.
- Take your kids to school and/or pick them up every once in a while. There's something about that little bit of time in the car. An opportunity to talk and laugh. Chat about the day ahead or what happened at recess. It's a precious little moment of time you can have with your children and it gives Mommy a little breather on those crazy mornings.
- And, above all. Just love her - right where your kids can see it. Tell her you love her when you leave the house, hold her hand when y'all are out and about, give her little kisses and hugs - seeing it gross out the kids is half the fun ;), praise her in front of your children. Show them you love their Mommy!
There are so many more things I could tell you but you need to figure these out for yourselves. Just ask yourselves - how would I want to see my boys treat their wives one day? You will be their greatest teacher, even without knowing it. They will model their actions after what they saw you do every day. And, if you have girls, think about how you want their husbands to treat them. Many times, little girls grow up to pick husbands who have characteristics just like their Daddies. I love you little goobers so much and while I wish you could stay my little boys forever, I am so excited to see the amazing men you will become.
Love you forever,
Your Mommy :)
Such well thought-out advice, I love it.
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