First, you can step back and take a good, long look at your situation. Try to gain a sense of the bigger picture. Habitual loss of bills, papers, and costly technological gadgets is problematic. We can easily understand why you’re frustrated. But there’s a more pressing issue at stake here – your marriage.
Reading between the lines, we think we can discern several layers of potential marital conflict in this scenario. At the bottom of everything else is an apparent lack of communication. Stated simply, the two of you need to sit down and do some serious talking.
You’ll be able to do this more effectively if you spend some time trying to understand one another. There may be a number of reasons for the friction you’re experiencing with your husband. On one level, it could be a simple case of clashing personalities. Maybe you’re a “cleanie” and he’s a “messy.” Maybe you’re hyper-organized and he’s “laid back.” Maybe you’re a perfectionist while he has a devil-may-care attitude toward life. If this is the case, then it stands to reason that you’re going to butt heads once in a while.
In a marriage like this, the more methodically minded spouse has to remember that “irresponsibility” and “disorganization” are not necessarily the same thing. “Irresponsibility” is an integrity issue. “Disorganization” may be nothing more than an expression of style or temperament. Coming to grips with these differences can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. A personality profile test, administered with the assistance and advice of a professional marriage counselor, can be extremely helpful in this regard.
If you think your husband’s behavior is too extreme to be attributed to a more “relaxed” personal style, there is a slight chance that he may be struggling with a type of adult ADD or ADHD. Some of your comments lead us to suspect that this may be so). In that case, he should have himself checked out by a physician or a medically trained psychiatrist. But you’ll want to be as gentle and sensitive as possible in suggesting this to him. Don’t throw it up to him in the form of a judgment or an insult. Don’t say, “You’ve got problems! Go and get some help!”
This leads to one last thought. Could this kind of insensitivity and judgmentalism actually be central to the problem? Is it possible that your marital difficulties can be traced to a lack of mutual love and respect? It would be worth giving the question some thought. There’s evidence here of simmering resentment on both sides of the relationship. For example, his attitude is plainly defensive. And your assertion that he’s “irresponsible” is decidedly accusatory in tone. Remember, disrespect feeds on itself and becomes self-perpetuating. If he feels that you’re “nagging” him or “putting him down,” he may react (subconsciously) by becoming even more negligent and scatter-brained. In that case, your attempts to “fix” the problem will only prove counterproductive.
That brings us back to our original point. We think you’d benefit from some careful training in the area of marital communication. We recommend that you get together and seek out the services of a qualified Christian marriage counselor. Someone who is professionally equipped can help you work through your differences. Other approaches to getting “unstuck” can include attending a well-recommended weekend Christian marriage retreat, participating in a couple’s support group through your church, or enlisting the help of a pastor.
If you need help putting these concepts into practice, don’t hesitate to call our Counseling department. They can provide you with referrals to qualified marriage and family therapists in your area who specialize in communication issues. They would also be more than happy to discuss your situation with you over the phone.
Resources
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Other books and broadcasts on Marital Communication
Articles
Marital Conflict
