Relationship Penalties to Avoid by Travis Turner

No one enjoys watching sports more than me.  As a former college athlete I love immersing myself in all aspects of athletics.  There’s no better time of year to enjoy sports than the fall.  The college and pro football seasons are starting to heat up, baseball has entered the playoffs, basketball season has begun, NASCAR fans are enjoying the Sprint Cub Series, hunting season is upon us, and golf in Arizona is to die for.  The problem with all these choices; is keeping our wives from feeling like “widows”.  It’s real easy to focus on all these games, races, even fantasy leagues and lose track of our spouses. 

Here’s a few relationship penalties to avoid this fall while still enjoying your favorite sporting events.

Offsides:  Don’t put the event ahead of everyone else.  You know the games you want to see, the weekend you want off to stalk deer, or the precious playoff ticket you want to purchase.  It’s time to sit down with the love of your life (your wife, not your rifle) and check the calendar and make a plan.  Most wives can deal with planned activities that include them rather than being told, “I’ll see you in three months”.  This is an opportunity to work together and make decisions as a team.  If you plan on taking a weekend to hunt for Bambi’s brother, you should be ready to give equal consideration to the family.

Unnecessary Roughness:  When confronted with the adverse impact we’re having on our wives and families, many guys react very negatively.  Often times a wife will try to encourage her man to spend more time with their son(s) or daughter(s) instead of hours upon hours of watching men in cars making left turns.  This is your opportunity to show her your real priorities.  If you get angry, or sulk, you may get the desired response (her backing off), but you won’t get the real unity you also desire.  She sees the investment of your time in the endeavors you enjoy; she also wants to be a source of joy to you. Won’t you make a similar commitment of time for her and your family?

Pass Interference: The motto “I’d rather ask for forgiveness than permission” is always met with laughter by men and groans by women.  There’s no easier way to break trust in a relationship than making plans or spending money without considering your partner.  Most men wouldn’t tolerate this if their wives did it, yet, husbands expect that freedom.  This is where “do unto others” comes into play.  It’s not “unmanly” to check with the family schedule or finances before saying “yes” to 50 yard line seats.