I GOT YOU, BABE!

Many men (and women) grew up with the idea that men are supposed to support the women in their lives. Things have changed for gender roles, but this line of thinking still persists.

My wife is a modern woman with a master’s degree and a career, but she’s from a traditional place where men take care of everything. It’s a clash of modern perspectives and traditional norms. Even though she has her own finances and can take care of herself, I have to remind her that we can and should split a lot of our finances. She agrees in principle, but in practice, it’s tough to part with your money. Like Mike Tyson said: Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.

And I get it. It’s easy for me to talk about how, as a man, I’m supposed to pay for everything, but when the time comes, you’re a little less bold. Yet I think these days, we’re ready to look beyond the traditional dollars and cents, and see supporting women as encompassing intangibles like empathy, encouragement and understanding.

My wife and I may not be splitting every bill yet, but knowing we’ve got each other’s back makes the monetary matters feel less like a point of contention. And thinking of it as giving her peace of mind means I can feel better about footing a slightly larger share of the expenses now and then.