The role of each partner in a relationship
Hi guys. Today we’ll be looking at a very sensitive topic titled “The role of each partner in a relationship.”
This topic is known to cause a lot of divide between male and female gender. It is not uncommon these days to see the same gender having contrary views concerning this topic. So many debates about the list of relationship roles, what should be the roles of partners in a relationship and family etc are still yet to be settled till date.
Before you read along, I’ll like you to have an open mind by keeping your view aside even as you read. I know many of us already have our view concerning what we think is the women’s role in a relationship and what we think is the men’s role in a relationship. Regardless of what you think, be open-minded as I expose to you the responsibilities of both partners in a relationship. Feel free to criticize and leave your comments below after reading through the article.
History of the roles of partners in a relationship
The roles of partners in a relationship have been a topic for debate long before we were born. Different culture with their different responsibilities assigned to both partners.
Less I forget, Relationship here is talking about any form of male and female relationship. Marriage is not excluded.
Using Africa as a case study, It was/is the duty of the man to go seek for the woman hand in marriage. After the wedding, the responsibility to take care of the family financially and otherwise also falls on the man’s shoulder. His wife happens to be one of his numerous property. At such, he treats her as it befits him.
However, the wife was meant to stay at home and take good care of the home including the children. Hence the name “housewife.” In addition to these, she is to do the dishes, laundry etc. Being blunt, the woman was like a slave to her man. His wish was her command.
This was more or less another form of dictatorship. However, some women were lucky to have men with a good heart as husband and their marriage wasn’t as bad as I make it sound. On the other hand, those that marry cruel men end up bruised daily for little or no disagreements. This is not to say the women were always right. They all did have their fair share of faults.
This whole form of cruelty was because women were not seen as equal to men in any aspect. The right given to women were less than those given to men. Gradually, things changed. Though it is still practised in some part of the world, it is not as rampant as it used to be.
The role each partner’s are to play in a healthy relationship
Presently, going with such archaic ideology will do more harm than good to your relationship. Though men are women are not equal due to differences in strength, genetic makeup, the way they think, act, and respond to things; it is good to see your self as equals.
The roles each partner are to play in a relationship should be played together if you know what I mean. Let’s take a look at some of these roles.
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1. Provide for the family together
The moment you guys said “I do” to each other in the church or wherever you agreed to get married, you became one family bearing one name. It should be the primary goal for both parties to make sure that there is always food in the table. Both of you should try as much as possible to provide to the best of your capacity for the growth of the family. The moment you start putting 100% of such responsibility on your partner, problems start setting in.
2. Take good care of the home together
Gone are the days where the wife will be meant to do the dishes, laundry and other various house chores all alone. This sounds like the job of a maid or a house girl as the case may be. You happened to marry a wife, not a maid. House chores are things you both can do at your spare time to reduce stress on both parties. If schedules are too tight, you both can agree to pay for the services of someone to do these chores.
3. Be each other’s best friend
This is not a case of marrying your best friend or a friend as the case may be. We all have friends who later turned enemies. So, what makes you think if you get married to your best friend, he/she won’t eventually turn out to be your enemy. So, the point isn’t whether you got married to your best friend or not; the point is to make the person you eventually get married to be your best friend. It’s for your good and the good of your home. Let your partner be your run to guy/girl as the case may be when you need to confide in someone. Just like loving someone is a choice you make, making your partner your best friend is no different. So, choose wisely.
See also: 7 important factors to consider before sharing secrets in a relationship
4. Be each other’s counsellor
In as much as your partner confide in you in difficult times, doesn’t mean you should take it for granted. Always try to make sure your partner’s problem becomes your problem. Find a solution to whatever the problem is and even if you can’t, let your partner see you did put in an effort. Else, he/she will start confiding in someone else.
5. See yourself as equals
Gone are the days where a man or a woman as the case may be will want to take ownership in a relationship. A relationship is not about who is the head, the neck or the tail. Rather, it is about humility and selflessness. These attributes make one see others as equals, in this case, your partner.
Additions
In addition to these, be each other’s guardians, confidant, teacher etc. Don’t be a partner that never take responsibilities in a relationship. When there is a problem, you fix it together. It’s not the time to start looking for blame in a relationship. A relationship is not a debate.
Lastly, respect and tolerance are also key. Learn to respect each other. Though it’s good to see each other as equals, let that not be a yardstick to provoke your partner and bring out his/her worst sides. Stay safe and have a happy relationship.
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I’ll love to hear you air your view on this topic. Use the comment session to tell us the roles of a man and a woman in a relationship or marriage as the case may be.
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