A marriage is built upon mutual love and respect for one another. A husband and wife should look at each other as teammates that are equal, not a boss and an employee. When you treat your spouse disrespectfully you will ruin the strong foundation of your marriage. Your spouse may not start to trust you and they will feel belittled or overlooked. Here are some helpful tips on how to treat your spouse equally:

Tip # 1 - Eye contact
When you and your spouse are talking, provide them with your full attention. Look at them when you are talking and don't get distracted by other things. Saying routine statements like "yeah" and "uh-huh" will send strong messages to your spouse that you don't care about what they are saying and that you really don't care about them. If you are the one doing the talking, communicate to your spouse you desire to have them truly listen. Let them know that while they may be listening that it offends you when they don't give you their full attention.

Tip # 2 - Listen
In order to show your spouse that you respect what they are saying, you need to spend time truly listening to what they are saying. Learn how to listen to what they are saying by avoiding distractions. When they talk, don't interrupt them. Think back to when you first started dating, would you have interrupted them while they were telling you about their favorite hobbies? Probably not because you were on your best behavior. Remember your best behavior again and practice this often with your spouse. They deserve your full attention when they are venting about their daily frustrations. When you respond to what they have to say, take time to think about your answer and be mindful of their feelings.

Tip # 3 - Please and Thank-You
When your spouse does small things, remember to say thank-you. This helps them to feel appreciated and loved. Don't forget to say please if you need their help. Even if the two of you split the household chores, you still need to thank them for their hard work. Everyone wants to feel appreciated and they are likely to continue doing things that help you when they know you truly appreciate it.

Tip # 4 - Time and Place to criticize
No one likes criticism; even constructive criticism is difficult to take in. In marriage we often let our guard down and we criticize our spouse without thinking about it. While they may take your criticism at home just fine, it is a totally different thing when you are out in public. When you are already in an argument, it won't do either of you any good for you to sit there and criticize more, it only makes the situation worse. If you feel the need to address something, do it privately. Do not criticize in front of your children or your friends and family. Be careful about what you say, remember that they probably have irritations with you as well. Ask your spouse for an honest evaluation of yourself so you can find little things that you need to work on like controlling your temper or showing more affection.

Tip # 5 - Appreciation
Daily appreciation for your spouse will help to smooth over the small bumps you may have along the road. It also helps to strengthen your relationship and show your spouse that you are a team and you are in this together.