Sock Blindness

How many times has your husband walked right past a pair of dirty socks on the floor and NOT picked them up? Or crammed one more thing into an overflowing trash can, or reached for a paper plate instead of emptying the dishwasher?

Is he blind? Is he lazy? Is he inconsiderate? Why on earth doesn't he just PICK THEM UP?

The answer is  . . . wait for it . . . He Doesn't See Them.

How can he not see socks that are laying there right in front of him? It's a good question, with a simple answer. People notice what they value. I could walk right past a 1948 Astin Martin DB1 in a parking lot and it would never even hit my radar, guaranteed. The man I'm walking through the parking lot with might conclude that I'm ditsy or unobservant. The truth is, I just don't care about cars. I was too busy noticing some woman's great shoes, or the lovely sunset, or I was thinking about work, or dinner, or the kids, or pretty much anything other than cars. We value different things, so we notice different things. It's as simple as that. Don't make the mistake of believing that others (even your husband) value the same things you do.

There's another layer to this argument. You might say, "If he loved me, he'd care that dirty socks bother me. He'd pick them up for me." That sounds well and fine, but think it through for a minute. If your husband loves fishing and you love him, do you magically begin noticing different brands of fishing rods? Of course not! You would never hear a man say, "If you really loved me, you would have noticed that guy's incredible fishing rod!" How absurd that sounds, yet we do it to men all the time. So no - his loving you does not make him suddenly begin to notice socks on the floor, or an overflowing trash can or a leaky sink.

Now that we've established that Dear ol' Hubby has Sock Blindness, what's the cure? Ladies, pay attention because this will change your marriage forever.

The cure is Admiration and Respect.

A man who is admired and respected will move mountains to please you. A man who is nagged and belittled will withdraw faster than you can say Henpecked Husband. Men only participate where they can win, so the secret is to set your guy up to win, and win big! Men WANT to be Super Heroes, we just need to hand them their capes and let them fly.

So how do you set him up to win?

1. Know that he's not leaving the socks on the floor on purpose, or out of laziness or neglect. 
2. Understand that what's important to you (a clean floor) may not be important to him; therefore, you are asking HIM to do YOU a favor by picking up his socks. This sets you up to appreciate that he's picking them up, rather than being disappointed in him for not picking them up without your asking.
3. Ask, and be specific! In other words, tell him precisely how he can win. "You're such a slob - you're always leaving your dirty socks on the floor" means the game's over and he already lost. That's hardly going to inspire him to participate the next time around.

Don't believe me? Try it: Next time his dirty socks are on the floor ask him very sweetly, "Honey, would you mind tossing those in the hamper for me?" (the "for me" is important because it gives him a real shot at winning your appreciation). I bet he'll take it in a New York minute. A kiss of genuine appreciation will seal the deal, and he'll redouble his efforts to please you.

So ladies, remember to be kind to the the sock-blind. They DO love you. In fact, they'll go to any lengths to show you. All you have to do is let them.