Kiss Your Husband

Kiss your husband when he comes home from work. Not just today, but every day, and witness how one simple act can make a powerful difference.



Women have always been nurturers by instinct, and men protectors. Since males have the physiological make up of a protector, much of their worth relies on just that, to protect. In this day and age, the theory still applies. If for some reason he can not financially provide for his family sufficiently, it's as if he failed slaying the dragon.

This is why the main role that a husband and father takes on is his ability to provide for his family. Rightfully so. It is something he expects of himself, and also something his family depends on him for. However, his efforts to provide are not the only thing that he should be appreciated for or encouraged to do within the household. In this day and age, it is the very fiber that makes a father the protector of the family that also should be utilized in other areas of the family dynamics as well.

Unfortunately, some families and even fathers themselves believe that their role ends with providing, and there is a sad disconnection. They come home, sit in their comfy (yet hideous) chair, read the paper, eat dinner, watch t.v. and go to bed, only to start all over again the next day. Dad is home, but he's not 'home'. This can be at the fault of the father himself for not opening his mind and heart to the possibilities of fatherhood that lay before him, but also simply because his family may not have done those little things to help him feel he is valued within the family unit to do anymore than provide.

Through multi-tasking and nesting, wives and mother's have a way of sculpting the home all on their own. Even Dad has to ask where his watch or the screwdriver is, and Mom always seems to know. This is endearing and should also be appreciated, but can be another reinforcement of disconnection if the father's role is not established as well. Although it may be done subconsciously by the family, if Dad is only approached when money is needed or the faucet is leaky, his worth may have stopped within those limitations.

Father's have such a wide range of talents and a knack for knowing just how to teach those talents to their children with a sense of humor and simple approach. When our middle child was born, our only boy, my husband was concerned that he wouldn't be able to 'father' him adequately because he's never been into sports. He joked that if it's anything with the word "ball" in it, it's not his thing. So, he naturally focused on the interests that he had as a child and passed them on to our son. Now, some of the best times my husband and son have had have been in the garage working on his vintage bicycles, shopping for new matchbox cars, and metal detecting at old churches. My husband's own unique interests were the best gift he could share with our son because they not only teach our children new skills, but also help them get a more clear and priceless picture of their dad's childhood.

So, we've established that there are ways a father can become more pro-active within every family, and they go far beyond the typical game of catch. But, first Dad needs to feel needed and appreciated so he can get those creative juices flowing. Starting that process can happen quite easily just with a simple switch of routine on everyone's part.

Picture the scenario...Dad walks in after a long day at work, Mom's on the phone, daughter's doing homework, son's playing the Wii, and the dog is the only one greeting him at the door (no wonder dog is man's best friend)...Hmmm. Not a good routine for establishing some togetherness.

Try this... kiss him when he comes home from work. Greet him with a smile. Just simply changing this one small factor will kick start a new attitude in the home. I noticed an immediate shift in perception taking place when my children showed their father they had been waiting for him to come home and were always excited to see him. This is the basic attitude that, if practiced on a daily basis in simple yet profound ways, can shift your families priorities regarding Dad's role in the family and open the door to true bonding and appreciation for everyone.

Spend those weekends wisely, and don't forget to kiss him when he comes home from work.