Best kid quote of the day

The girls are arguing over who gets to sit where in the bathtub. My oldest announced, “I always sit there for certain reasons that are needed in life!”

What?!

I couldn’t help but laugh, and she looked at me like, “What did I say?”

I would have asked her to elaborate, but I had to quickly run off and type this in. And to tell my husband, so we could enjoy the chuckle together.

Here’s another free marriage tip for you from my book, 101 Tips for a Happier Marriage, since you’ve been such a lovely audience.

Tip #63 from 101 Tips for a Happier Marriage

Protect yourself when your spouse starts criticizing you. Imagine yourself inside a giant bell-shaped jar. You can observe what is going on around you, but the jar protects you from anything harmful actually coming in. This gives you some psychological space to begin listening.

This is an opportunity for you to learn and grow, but that can be a difficult and painful task. Pretend you’re watching this encounter unfold on television. You are now the writer. How would you write the scene to provide the best possible outcome for both of you? When it’s your turn to speak, be both the director and the star. You can take the high road and only accept what you think is valuable from your spouse’s comments.