Don’t Forget to Play with the Kids

What? Play with the kids? How is that being romantic? I thought this blog was about my relationship with my wife?

In his book, “His Needs, Her Needs” Willard Harley, Jr. mentions that one of a woman’s emotional needs in the marriage is to know that her husband is committed to the family. Stated more specifically, she needs to know that he will be a good father to her children.

What makes a man a good father? Actually, there are a lot of things that can be included in that answer; everything from being a good provider to being a disciplinarian to being a good example to, yes, playing with the kids. I’d have to say, if a man doesn’t spend more time playing with his children more than he does disciplining them, he’s missing out on a lot of what it takes to be a daddy.

You have to realize that the most important things to your wife are the people around her. Women are relational, so anything that touches someone around them touches them as well. That’s why women react so strongly to anything they perceive as a threat to their children. They “feel” that threat in a much more personal way than we do as men.

They also “feel” the positive things that are done for those around them. If one of your kids wins a trophy for something, your wife will feel as proud as if she had won it herself. If they win a raffle, you’d think from her reaction, that she was the one who won it.

So, when you play with the kiddies, you’re showing your wife that you are committed to them and to the family. You're letting her know that what's important to her is also important to you. That gives her security and makes her feel good. It is as if you’d done something just for her. Besides, it’s fun to play with the kids. So, have a good time, and don’t forget to give your wife a hug and a kiss afterwards.