Marriage Etiquette: What Spousal Complaining Says About You and Your Marriage

We humans love to complain. It's a fine way to bond. At times, there is nothing better than whining about shoddy food service with someone who has also been slighted by that establishment, or just a similar one. Nothing makes a bad experience more tolerable than being able to share it with someone else. Complaining keeps the office alive, unless, the complainer is whining about her husband. Not only is there no greater kill joy, but there is simply nothing worse than listening to a woman complain about her husband. A woman who complains to her officemates about her husband is quickly headed to a divorce.

Maybe it is because I am actually "happily married". I believe the man in my life is incredible, which is exactly why I married him. Perhaps that is why I simply cannot understand why a woman would complain about a man that she chose to marry.

Don't get me wrong, my husband has his moments. However, there isn't much that he does to upset me. On the occasion that he does, I complain to him. Then we resolve it.

When a woman complains about her husband, she lets the office in on something: she is probably the one with the issues. The fact that she sees nothing wrong with bad-mouthing her partner to anyone who will listen is the first clue. Her surprise when you do not reply in kind, with a similarly nasty comment about your own husband, is further testament.

Simply put: if you don't like him, don't marry him. If, however, you have passed the point of no return and are now guilty of whining about your husband to your office mates, you may need a little reality check.

"My man's ungrateful."

Did you not know this before you married him? Be honest. I have a hard time believing that you were unaware of how ungrateful your husband was before you married him.

"He never helps with the kids"

Did he want kids? When you saw that he wasn't much help with the first, did you stop there?

"He's fat or lazy"

Are you fit?

"He never spends time with me"

Are you interesting?