| It doesn't matter whether you are retiring | | | | staff at work. She was doing fine before you |
| together or one before the other, retirement life | | | | retired. She doesn't need you to manage her now. |
| is a significant transition for a couple, as well as | | | | Both of you need separate spaces that's yours |
| the individual. | | | | alone. We visited friends and the wife complained |
| Even as someone who teaches others how to | | | | about how she didn't like the way her husband |
| create a successful retirement, I wasn't sure I | | | | had decorated his office with sports memorabilia. |
| was going to survive the first three months of | | | | If it's going to be his space, then she can close |
| my husband's retirement. | | | | the door when guests come over. |
| I still don't have all of the solutions, but I'll share | | | | You both need activities together, as well as |
| what I've learned and what others have told me. | | | | apart. My life improved when my husband went |
| Both people need to help around the house. | | | | to the garage to build his plane. He now works as |
| Traditionally, men have taken care of the outside | | | | hard at it, as he did his job. He needs the |
| and women the inside. That still may work, but | | | | challenge, creativity and activity. Without, he'd be |
| with cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc, the inside may | | | | lost. |
| take more work than the outside. But, here is the | | | | We started dancing when he first retired. I hoping |
| key, and women may not like this, but if he | | | | we'll get back to it. We have a date at least once |
| offers to help inside or you insist he help, you | | | | a week, where we go out to dinner or a movie. |
| can't turn around and criticize the way he does | | | | We also love to travel together. |
| the chore. | | | | Finally, I'd advise you communicate about the |
| I was talking to a friend recently about her | | | | changes you're going through. I'll be perfectly |
| husband washing the floor. She lamented that she | | | | honest, that has been hard for us. I feel like |
| would have gotten on her hands and knees to | | | | whenever I want to talk, it comes across like I'm |
| scrub the grout, which he didn't do. If scrubbing | | | | complaining. Maybe I am. We're learning to |
| grout is that important, she may want to suggest | | | | co-exist together. It's been more difficult than I |
| they rotate, but he's not going to want to help if | | | | thought it was going to be. I also think it's going to |
| you criticize everything he does. | | | | be more rewarding. |
| Of course, this works both ways. I've heard of | | | | I asked my husband for his thoughts on this |
| husbands who retire and think they can now | | | | article. His reply, "It's been tough, but it's getting |
| manage their wife the way they supervised their | | | | better. |