Thanksgiving Hints for Husbands

Not that it's necessarily your role to help your wife as she struggles to get ready for Thanksgiving, to get the house spit-spot for all your guests and organize all that cooking. You may have an 80-hours-a-week job yourself. But if you are able to pitch in, and feel so inclined, what's the best way you can help?

Well, other than volunteering to do some of it yourself the very best way is: take the kids out to the park, to the zoo, to lunch, to a movie, or for a visit to Grandma.

The second best thing you can do: run errands. Have prescriptions refilled, take the clothes to the dry cleaner and/or pick them up therefrom, take the dog to the groomer, put gas in her car.

Close runners up: Rake the leaves, sweep the porch.

And here are some wrong things to do the last 10 days before Thanksgiving.

Bad: grocery shopping, unless your wife asks you to. If she does, do not deviate from her list unless you call her and ask first. She may already have bought 6 of those things without your knowing it. She may not have room in the fridge, freezer, or pantry (even if there was room two days ago). Etc. Do not assume you know; check first!

Worse: start a do-it-yourself home improvement project.

Worst: start a home improvement project that isn't do-it-yourself and thus involves a whole crew of workmen tramping in and out of the house.

Face it, now just is not the ideal time to remodel the kitchen or wallpaper the dining room.