If You Do These 10 Things, You Are A Better Wife Than You Give Yourself Credit For
Good wives make the house go round.
exebiche / Shutterstock In many families, a husband is praised for the simple things, such as going to work, earning a decent income, and acknowledging his children — bare minimum requirements that barely scratch the surface when it comes to effectively raising a family. The work of wives, on the other hand, often happens behind the scenes and goes unnoticed by the rest of the family. Little may they know, she is the the driving force behind most functioning families, and their foundation would crumble without her.
If you are a wife who feels like your contributions mean little to your family, think again. You are a better wife than you give yourself credit for.
If you do these 10 things, you are a better wife than you give yourself credit for
1. You offer emotional support
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Wives are often the emotional backbones of their families, providing comfort and words of encouragement to their husband and kids when they most need it. Whether it’s a husband feeling overlooked at work or the kids having trouble with their schoolwork, wives are often the first ones to step in and tend to their family members’ emotional wounds.
According to research, a lack of emotional support has been linked to depression and loneliness, which takes a toll on one’s mental and physical health.
Just by offering a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on, wives who give their family members emotional support are doing more for their mental health that they often realize.
2. You balance your priorities
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Good wives often juggle their own needs with their partner’s needs and the needs of the entire family, and more than often do it without complaint. For example, let’s say you are a wife working a full-time job while managing the household. One day, you get an invitation to a professional development seminar that could help your career. However, it falls on the same weekend as one of your children’s soccer games.
You may balance your priorities through brainstorming, compromising and delegating. You may brainstorm with your partner ways you could attend both events. You may schedule a special dinner with your child if you cannot attend all of the game to ensure they still feel loved. You may delegate trusted family members to help out that weekend in case your partner needs an extra set of hands.
While these tasks may seem minor, this delicate balancing act is more helpful to your family than you can imagine.
3. You manage the finances
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Many wives take on the role of managing the household budget, even if they are not the primary breadwinners. They design complex spreadsheets, pay the monthly bills and plan activities for the future according to their budgets.
According to Fidelity's 2024 Couples and Money study, one-quarter of all couples report that money is their greatest relationship issue. Having just one partner who is financially aware could make all of the difference in the world.
4. You maintain the home
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Maintaining the home is so much more than just cooking and cleaning. It’s keeping track of how many toilet paper rolls are left. It’s ensuring that you get the kids to and from school everyday. It’s helping with homework and scheduling necessary appointments to stay on top of their health.
Without household maintenance, the house would quite literally fall apart. While all of this household work typically goes unnoticed and wives who do this full-time may feel as if they aren’t doing enough, we can assure them that they are.
In fact, a research paper published in the Survey of Current Business found that if “home production” — the value of the time spent cooking, cleaning, watching the kids, and so forth — were counted, it would raise the level of nominal GDP nearly 26%.
5. You are a team player
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Whether it comes to supporting their partner’s goals and dreams or taking care of the kids, good wives work as a team player handling responsibilities of the relationship. When their partner is working extra hours outside of the home and the housework begins to pile up, a good wife may take it upon herself to start managing more around the house, even if her work may go unrecognized.
She is a team player by taking initiative, supporting her partner’s needs and making sure the relationship stays strong.
6. You are the peacekeeper of the family
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Good wives often take on the role of the family mediator. They step in to solve conflicts between the children, deescalate arguments and make compromises to keep the peace in the home.
Being the family peacekeeper promotes a harmonious environment where everyone feels safe, heard and valued. All of these are crucial feelings in order to thrive in a household.
7. You encourage growth
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Whether it’s actively supporting her partner’s career aspirations or helping the kids perform to the best of their ability on school projects, good wives are often their family’s biggest cheerleaders, always pushing them to do better.
Encouraging your loved ones to grow builds a “growth mindset,” which enhances their motivation to take on challenges, improves academic performances and fosters resilience.
Research from Stanford Teaching Commons shows that when people have a growth mindset, they are more likely to challenge themselves and believe they can achieve more. This allows them to go throughout their life with a high self-esteem and confidence to tackle anything.
Being the one who urges this growth is more important than you may know.
8. You handle conflict with grace
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Good wives manage household disagreements calmly, aiming to resolve them with understanding and patience. They make an effort to protect their relationships during tough conversations.
For example, if a wife is having a disagreement with their partner about the state of their finances, she will actively listen to her partner’s position without dismissing him or getting defensive. She may then calmly express her own viewpoint while emphasizing their shared goals to find a solution they can both agree upon.
This fosters a healthy environment where both sides have the opportunity to hear each other out without it turning into a screaming match.
9. You make sacrifices
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Good wives often sacrifice crucial parts of themselves to benefit their families without ever hearing a single “thank you.” Whether it’s giving up their career, personal time or comfort, they ensure their family’s happiness and success far over their own.
She may give up her job to spend time taking care of her children or skip out on the yearly girls’ getaway weekend to spend it with her partner.
Even if these sacrifices may go unacknowledged, they mean more to a family than they may even be able to express.
10. You are a role model
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Good wives set crucial examples for their children and shape the kinds of people they will grow up to become. When their kids want to learn how to manage responsibilities, navigate relationships, and how to treat others with kindness and respect, they will often look toward one or both of their parents for guidance.
National 4-H youth development programs have demonstrated that children who grow up with positive role models generally make better decisions, and are better equipped to handle negative influences. Taking on the task of being a good role model can help them learn about themselves and clothes, and such a task should not be taken lightly.
Megan Quinn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing. She covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on justice in the workplace, personal relationships, parenting debates, and the human experience.