I’ll Smear Mud On Your Tractor

Here’s a little story of how my husband and I came to a better understanding of how to help each other out.  I used a form of effective communication.

“I’ll smear mud on your tractor right after you power wash it.  Would that tick you off?” I said to my husband after returning home to crap everywhere.

And it wasn’t going to picked up by him in the near future.  I know him well enough by now to safely say that if he doesn’t immediately pick up after himself, then it won’t happen in 1 day, 2 days, or 3 days.  Possibly in a week or a month if I point it out a few times.

Of course, he looked at me funny.  Then I added, “That’s what it feels like you do to me.  After I clean everything, you smear your stuff everywhere.  And it ticks me off.  Why don’t you just use mud?”

He had an “A-ha” moment.  My mud smearing on freshly power-washed, spit-shined tractor analogy actually worked.

If you have issues with a partner picking up after himself, then ask how he/she would like it if you smeared mud on one favorite thing – vehicle, bicycle, running shoes, tennis racket, golf bags, LSU jersey – right after it was cleaned and spit-shined.

When you see the eyebrows draw together in confusion, just say “that’s what it feels like you do to me.”

Next, Briefly explain to him that you clean up the bedroom, kitchen (insert area here) and when you come back home and see sh*t everywhere, why not  just grab some mud and smear it everywhere.  The effect is still the same.