The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands

The advice book for married couples which has hit the NY Times Bestsellers list and is sparking controversy. Some might say it’s old fashioned advice, others say – like ‘The Rules’ – that it works, and helps couples get along better together.

Dr Laura’s tell-it-how-it-is relationships book looks at what isn’t working in today’s marriages and prescribes a new set of values and rules to help make love blossom and marriages work. She tells wives to stop whingeing and work harder at nurturing the family and loving their men and rewards will be duly reaped. A central theme is the three A’s: appreciation, approval and affection – or showing your man you need, admire and desire him.
Dr Laura prescribes the following tips, for example:
- cook dinner: it’s good to talk at mealtimes
- Let him play sport and watch it on TV with his mates
- Stop badmouthing your husband to your friends
- find one or two things to compliment your husband about (no matter how small) each day for 5 days.
- Avoid being a nag, and stop it or you will be dumped.
- Wear make-up and look your best for your man
As one of her readers attests in the opening pages: ‘As a man, I can tell you our needs are simple: we want to be fed, we want our kids to be mothered and we want lovin’.

And what’s in it for a wife? Dr Laura contests that women are in the unique position of having extraordinary influence over their husbands which, when exercised thoughtfully, lovingly and intelligently result in a happier husband who will ‘swim through shark-infested waters to bring her a lemonade.’