11 Things Husbands Should Always Expect From Their Wives, No Matter What
A husband should want from his wife what he is willing to contribute to the relationship.
Billion Photos / Shutterstock There are several things that help foster a strong marriage that will last even through challenges and hardships that the couple experiences. In order to establish a resilient and healthy marriage, a husband should be able to expect certain things from his wife, no matter what.
Although these may be a husband’s expectations of his wife, it is important to acknowledge that if he is not also doing these things, he can not expect his wife to do them either. A man should put in the time and effort that he expects to get from his wife.
11 things husbands should always expect from their wives, no matter what
1. Open communication
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Something a husband should always expect from his wife is open communication. In order to build a strong and healthy marriage, each person needs to be able to comfortably express themselves so that the connection can deepen.
Aspire Counseling and Consulting Services, a team of professional counselors and social workers who help individuals and couples manage their mental health, explains that, “Communication helps boost the connection and ensures that both feel satisfied and happy. Couples who openly communicate regularly and share their thoughts are more pleased in their relationship.”
Of course, this open expression of emotions needs to be met by a wife’s husband with support and understanding. Otherwise, she may feel reluctant to openly communicate with him.
2. Active listening
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Both partners in a marriage normally want to feel valued and heard. This makes active listening something that most husbands expect from their wives, no matter what. Active listening within a marriage will grow the emotional intimacy between partners and build a safe environment where each person feels respected and understood.
“The ultimate objective in spousal communication is not to get one’s point across, but to create an emotional environment where both members feel secure, free to be transparent and vulnerable, and like they are working together while addressing important concerns,” according to Seattle Christian Counseling, a team of professional counselors who help individuals, families, and couples work through any concerns or challenges they have.
3. Support for his goals
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A marriage where each partner feels that their goals are supported helps to foster personal growth and relationship growth. In hopes of achieving this growth, most husbands should expect support for their goals from their wives.
A 2021 study found that when each partner is involved in the other partner's pursuit of goals, typically there is more satisfaction and support in the relationship. This also fosters a relationship that is not consumed with as many conflicts and instead aids in each person reaching the goals they have set for themselves.
4. Encouragement
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Most husbands should expect encouragement from their wives. Encouragement in a marriage will help each partner grow as individuals, feel like their goals and aspirations are valued, and help them to take the steps toward pursuing their passions.
Encouragement in a marriage can also come in the form of partners showing appreciation for the way each of them treats the other. Positive behaviors being encouraged tend to cause those behaviors to continue throughout the relationship, helping it grow and a deep emotional connection having the ability to be built.
5. Appreciation
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Husbands should expect appreciation from their wives when they are actually treating her and the relationship with respect and showing that they value it and her. This appreciation helps to boost the quality of the marriage, and it strengthens their bond.
Marriage in a Box, a tool designed by Maria Sappe, a licensed marriage and family therapist, for supporting couples that are undergoing counseling, states that, “A lack of appreciation leads to resentment toward your partner, which is not part of a healthy relationship. Feeling loved, appreciated, and supported by our partners communicates that our partners care about and find us necessary, generating a sense of safety and security.”
6. Mutual respect
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Mutual respect within a marriage helps both partners feel valued and equal. Most husbands should expect mutual respect from their wives.
Grady Shumway, a licensed mental health counselor, mentions that if both partners are intentional about implementing mutual respect in the marriage, harmony can prosper and conflicts can be reduced significantly. Mutual respect requires each partner to truly consider how the other person is feeling and try their best to be understanding and hear the person out.
7. Trust
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Trust in a marriage allows the relationship to build a secure foundation that promotes effective communication. If a husband wants a healthy relationship with his wife, he should expect her to trust him, and he should trust her.
“When trust stands firm in the foundation of a relationship, all of these beautiful habits form. You’ll feel emotional security and safe communication where both partners can openly communicate about their thoughts, feelings, and needs without the fear of judgment or betrayal,” explains Jaimi Douthit, a licensed professional counselor.
8. Partnership
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A marriage with a partnership is stable and filled with respect and support for both partners. A husband who longs for a relationship like this should expect partnership from his wife.
Dr. Wyatt Fisher, a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in marriage counseling, mentions that, “Marriage is a partnership means both partners have an equal voice on all decisions in the relationship. In addition, both partners feel like they can influence one another and there's a spirit of equality in the marriage.”
When equality and partnership are at the foundation of a relationship, a sense of teamwork is able to build and make each partner feel needed and valued.
9. Loyalty
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Loyalty in a marriage enforces trust, strong bonds, and growth within a relationship. If a husband is loyal to his wife, he should expect loyalty from her in return.
Loyalty goes deeper than just remaining committed to their partner. A loyal relationship also includes support from both partners, deciding things together, and sticking up for one another. Maggie Martinez, a licensed clinical social worker, said in a marriage, each partner should come together to make a team that makes decisions together. Without these things, it is hard for loyalty to prosper in a relationship and for trust not to erode.
10. Effort
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A strong and resilient marriage can be built when each partner puts in effort. A husband who wants a marriage that overcomes challenges, and if he also puts effort into his marriage, he should expect effort from his wife, no matter what.
Effort in a relationship makes both partners feel like they are valued by the other person. It helps to sustain a healthy and loving relationship that thrives. “The only way to maintain a relationship is by investing time and energy into one and having the other person reciprocate,” said Dan Schawbel, managing partner of Workplace Intelligence, a research agency focused on the world of work.
11. Quality time
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Some husbands who dedicate quality time to their wives should expect their wives to also spend quality time with them. Quality time strengthens a marriage by deepening the connection and fostering a sense of trust and commitment.
If a husband prioritizes these things in his marriage, it's logical that he would expect the same from his wife. He cannot expect her to do certain things that he would not do himself, but if he is willing to dedicate time to doing positive things for the relationship, expecting that his wife does too is very acceptable.
Kamryn Idol is a writer with a bachelor's degree in media and journalism who covers lifestyle, relationship, family, and wellness topics.
