The Husband Whisperer

”So I leaned in closely until we were practically cheek to jowl, but not close enough to block his view of the evening news, and I placed my hand gently on his shoulder. Using the sweetest voice I could muster, I said, “Honey, could you please take out the garbage now that you're back?” Not only did I succeed in getting his attention, I got him to spring into action. He seemed pleased (and a bit shocked) when I thanked him afterward. Now, whenever I want him to take out the trash, I summon my kinder, gentler self.

2. Lead by example. One of the goals in my Husband Whisperer experiment was to get my husband to clean up after himself. Normally, I would have to put away jars, boxes and whatever else he'd left behind on the kitchen counter after a snack. Then I'd follow up with a damp sponge to get any crumbs or spillage. In my zeal to stay one step ahead of the mess, I'd sometimes put food away before he had a chance to eat it. He'd turn around and say, “Hey, where'd that bread go?” and I'd say, “I thought you were done.” Arguments ensued.

Einbund agreed: “When I do the dishes, my wife will come in afterward and rinse out the sink because she doesn't think it's clean enough.