You might think that when he is sprawled on the sofa scrolling through his phone, it's simply because he's "tired," but in reality, he might be silently thinking, "What does housework have to do with me? I'm the big hero of the house, I've completed my mission to save the world, what's the big deal about mopping the floor?" Therefore, if you want him to transform from the "king of lying flat" to a "housework whiz," you need some strategy; you can't be too forceful, or you'll find that housework remains unshared, and you'll end up feeling even more frustrated. Next, let me give you some tips on how to use humor and wisdom to "trick" your husband into doing housework, and make him willing to jump in.

First, you need to understand a truth: men are not inherently averse to housework; they just dislike being "told" to do it. If you say with a stern face, "You wash the dishes!" he will likely respond, "I just got off work, I'm exhausted, can I catch my breath?" Then this conversation turns into a dramatic exchange of "You don't love me anymore" and "You don't love me," and in the end, the housework doesn't get done, and the two of you end up in a cold war for three days. So, tone is very important. Don't command; try being a bit coy. For example, you could twist your waist and say, "Honey, my hands are so sore today, if you could wash the dishes, I’ll give you a shoulder massage tonight, how about that?" The key to this tactic is the sense of "transaction," making him feel like he’s gaining something—washing a dish in exchange for a massage, what a deal! As for whether you'll actually give him a shoulder massage, that depends on your mood; anyway, the dishes are already washed.

For instance, when it comes to mopping the floor, you could casually say, "Oh dear, the floor is so dirty that I’m embarrassed to invite friends over; they might think I married a slob." This statement seems self-deprecating but actually subtly pokes at his pride. Which man wants to be labeled as "sloppy"? Especially when he wants to maintain the image of a "perfect husband" in front of his friends. The next moment, you might see him quietly picking up the mop, muttering, "I'm not a slob; I'm doing this for the honor of the family!" And you can chuckle to yourself and compliment him, "Honey, you mop the floor so well, like a knight saving a castle!" Men love to hear such things; flattery will make him feel good, and next time he might even volunteer to mop the floor.

Another trick is called "pretending to be incompetent." Don't underestimate this tactic; it works wonders. For example, when doing laundry, you could deliberately toss his white shirt and red socks into the washing machine together, then innocently say, "Oh no, I think I messed up; how did your shirt turn pink? Honey, why don't you come teach me? I'm just too clumsy." When he sees his beloved shirt has turned into a "pink panther," he won't be able to sit still and will immediately take over the laundry duties. From then on, every time laundry comes up, he will proactively say, "Let me handle it; I don't want you to dye my clothes rainbow colors again." You just nod in "humble acceptance" and happily go watch a show, no more worries about the laundry.

That said, I must remind you not to mess up the housework to an irreparable extent; otherwise, he might think, "Rather than letting you do it, I might as well hire a cleaner." So, pretending to be incompetent has to be done in moderation, and your acting skills need to be on point. For example, when cooking, you could pretend not to know how to chop vegetables, fiddling with a potato for a long time, then say, "Honey, I'm afraid I'll cut my hand; could you help me chop this?" If he cares about you, he will definitely come over to help. Once he finishes chopping, you can sweetly say, "You chopped the potatoes so beautifully, even better than in a restaurant!" Hearing this, he will feel pleased, and next time when cooking, he might directly ask you, "What do you want to eat today? I'll make it." Isn't that perfect?

Of course, relying solely on being coy and acting is not enough; you need to give him some "positive feedback." Men fear that their efforts in housework will go unappreciated. If you say with a cold face, "That’s okay, but try harder next time," he will probably roll his eyes inside, thinking, "I worked so hard, and you're still not satisfied, so why should I do anything?" Therefore, you need to learn to exaggerate your praise. For example, if he washes a dish, you should exclaim as if you’ve discovered a new continent, "Wow, honey, you washed that dish so clean, it could be used as a mirror! I really hit the jackpot marrying you!" Hearing this, he will feel so proud that next time he might wash the dishes even more thoroughly just to hear you praise him again.

Another tactic is called "gamifying housework." Men naturally love to play games; if you turn housework into a competition, he might just bite. For example, you could say, "Honey, how about we see who can fold clothes faster? The loser has to tell jokes to the winner tonight!" Once he hears this, his competitive spirit will kick in, and he will jump up to compete with you. After folding the clothes, he might even say, "What should we compete in next? Washing dishes?" You can take the opportunity to nod, "Sure, I definitely can't beat you at washing dishes!" In the end, he washes the dishes, you do nothing, and you get to hear a bunch of jokes. The beauty of this gamified approach is that he doesn’t even feel like he’s "working"; instead, he thinks he’s just playing a game with you.

Speaking of games, don't forget the "reward mechanism." Men are as sensitive to rewards as puppies hearing the dinner bell. You can set a small goal, like, "Honey, if you help me with housework three times this week, I’ll treat you to a big dinner this weekend!" Or be more direct: "If you clean the kitchen tonight, I’ll watch that game with you!" Once he hears there’s a reward, his motivation will immediately surge. The key is to follow through on the rewards; otherwise, next time he might throw in the towel, saying, "Last time you said you’d treat me to a big dinner, but I ended up eating instant noodles; this time, are you trying to trick me again?" So, honesty is crucial; even if it’s just playing a game with him, you must keep your word.

Of course, some husbands are naturally lazy, and being coy or offering rewards won’t work; then you have to pull out the "killer move"—the comparison method. You can casually say, "Yesterday, little Li next door helped his wife wash clothes all day, and his wife was bragging about it on social media, saying she married a treasure." Once he hears this, if he has any competitive spirit left, he will definitely feel challenged: "If little Li can do it, so can I!" Then just wait and see how he "proves himself." Men can be that simple; sometimes, a little provocation is all it takes.

There’s also the situation where you need to watch out for him slacking off. For example, he might say, "I mopped the floor; look how clean it is!" But when you check, the corners are still dusty. At this point, don’t criticize him directly; try to diffuse it with humor: "Honey, your mopping technique is quite abstract; the dust is hidden in such an artistic way!" He will probably laugh awkwardly and then honestly mop again. If you criticize too harshly, he might just throw in the towel, saying, "You do it; I can’t do it right!" So, humor acts as a lubricant, pointing out the problem without hurting feelings.

Speaking of feelings, the biggest hidden danger of uneven housework is arguments. You’re sweating profusely, and he’s there watching short videos; anyone would blow up. So, communication needs to be laid out in advance. You can find a relaxed moment, like after dinner while taking a walk, and jokingly say, "Honey, I’ve realized that if we could do housework together, our efficiency would double, and we’d have more time to be together, don’t you think?" This statement not only addresses the issue but also gives him a sweet incentive, and he might think, "Hmm, that makes sense." The next time you ask him for help, he won’t feel caught off guard.

Of course, some husbands are particularly good at "playing deaf and dumb." When you ask him for help, he either responds with a noncommittal "uh-huh" or directly says, "I’m busy!" At this point, don’t rush to get angry; try "retreating to advance." For example, you could say, "Alright, honey, you handle the big stuff; I can manage this little task myself." This statement seems like a compromise but is actually a trap. Once he hears "big stuff" and "little task," his pride will kick in: "Who says this is a little task? I’ll do it!" Then just watch him obediently get to work, feeling secretly pleased: isn’t this just perfect?

Another tactic is called "sharing his tasks." It sounds a bit counterintuitive, but it works well. For example, if he usually takes care of changing light bulbs or taking out the trash, you could proactively say, "Honey, I’ll take out the trash today; could you help me wipe the table?" Once he sees you’ve done "his task," he’ll feel awkward not doing anything and will likely take on the task of wiping the table. This "exchange of labor" method can make him feel it’s fair, and gradually he will get used to sharing the workload.

When it comes to habits, the ultimate goal of getting your husband to do housework is to make him feel that it’s "routine" rather than "helping out." You need to reinforce this concept from time to time; for example, after he washes the dishes, you could say, "Our teamwork is simply the golden duo of housework!" Hearing this, he will subconsciously feel like he’s part of the housework team, and next time he won’t resist as much.

Of course, housework varies from person to person. Some husbands are naturally diligent; with just a hint, they can tidy up the house like a show home. Others are as lazy as a rock, and you have to use all sorts of tricks to get them to move. So, the tactics need to be flexibly adjusted; don’t stick to one approach. For example, if he is particularly sensitive about his image, use the "comparison method" more; if he responds better to soft approaches, be more coy. In short, you need to understand his personality to tailor your approach.

In the end, housework is fundamentally a shared responsibility. You can’t expect him to instantly become a "housework superhero," but you also can’t let yourself become a "housework martyr." So, take it slow, use a bit of humor and wisdom to pull him into this "pit." Once he gets used to it, you’ll find that not only is the house cleaner, but your relationship is sweeter too. After all, a husband who is willing to wash dishes and a wife who is willing to praise him are a perfect match!