Don't Blame Him

Remember how you reacted to other parents before you became one?

You were in the grocery store and saw some mother with her kids. One of the toddlers had jam on her face, maybe the other one had a runny nose.

Remember how inept you thought that parent was? You, in your infinite wisdom, thought you would know exactly how to handle every parental situation. You even thought you would NEVER let your future children out of the house without spit-shined faces and freshly washed clothes. Come on, you thought, it can't be that hard.

Then you had kids and realized it was all harder than you had expected.

Your husband criticizes because he doesn't really have kids...at least he never has to deal with the jam and the runny noses and the dirty clothes.

Don't blame him when he criticizes. You once had those same thoughts, before children thrust you into reality. The more you let your husband parent, the less he will criticize.