Spouse Smarts

Spouse Smarts

Posted: May 26, 2009 9:35 AM
Updated: May 26, 2009 9:35 AM

Real Families, Real FUN: For Parents
Spouse Smarts
By By Elizabeth Wells for Real Families, Real Fun

So, you think you know your spouse. Could you correctly answer 20 questions about his or her favorite things? Most people are surprised that after many years of marriage their answers are off target.

Test your knowledge about your spouse's favorite things by spending an evening together creating flash cards. Create two sets of index-sized cards on which to write questions and answers. One set should have your answers and on the other set, write what you think will be your spouse's answer. The cards are a gold mine of gift ideas for future thoughtful surprises.

What is your favorite...

...part of the day? ...dessert? ...leisure activity/hobby? ...book? ...movie? ...meal? ...part of your job? ...restaurant? ...clothing? ...color? ...section of the country? ...season? ...memory? ...Sunday afternoon activity? ...game/thing you did as a child? ...flower? ...quote? ...art/artist? ...song? Bonus: What are the three things you would take with you on a deserted island?

"It's hard to get my husband to do things like this, so we just sat at a table and answered all the questions on one large numbered sheet of paper," said Peggy LaClair from upstate New York.

This should be a light and fun activity over which you two can share some laughs. "Keith joked through the whole quiz. He moved the paper covering my answers and I caught him. We both were hysterical, but especially me," Peggy said.

When both of you are finished writing the questions, exchange the cards and take turns asking and answering the questions. Ellen from Nebraska said, "I've known my husband for twenty years, and yes, a few questions really made me think."

The answers provide insights you may not have known before. Peggy LaClair said, "Doing this quiz reminded me about one of our favorite restaurants." She said she plans to take her husband there soon.

Lynda Hannan from Ohio said they discovered that for some things "we knew each other better than we know ourselves. For my favorite leisure activity, I wrote down golf and he wrote down reading the Sunday paper on the deck by myself. Actually that is my favorite [activity], even over a round of golf! I knew his favorite dessert is pecan pie. He didn't think of it at first, and then he remembered that is his ultimate."

Keep your spouse's cards and store them in a decorated photo box. If you use regular paper, do as the LaClairs did and put it in a family book. "I'd like to do this again in a few years to see if some of the answers change," said Ellen.

TAKE IT FROM ME:
Do this activity away from the kids to prevent interruptions. The Hannans waited for their children's bedtime. Ellen's children are older, so they simply told the kids "do not disturb" for 15 minutes. - Elizabeth Wells --By Elizabeth Wells