Couples: anything you can't do together without fighting?

[shh]

We've been married almost 25 years and still have so much fun together - we're both kids at heart and love many of the same activities and experiences.

But I've learned the hard way that there are a few things we shouldn't do as a couple. Ever. Occasionally I'm feeling optimistic and decide to disregard history. It rarely ends well.

Any home improvement project, for example. Which inevitably results in cursing, tears arguments and occasionally a few hours or days of silence to follow.

Or any excursion where we both have zero clue of where we're going. Like getting lost driving somewhere. That one has largely went away - thank you Maps & Waze! But we can still get lost on water apparently...like my recent bright idea to set off on a hot summer day in a 2-seater rental kayak (that's a relationship test right there, I tell you!) through mangroves with poorly marked trails. The guy assured us we wouldn't need a guide. It ended up ok in the end, but let's just say there may have been a better way to spend those three weekend hours.

Sooo...I thought it would be fun to see what activities or tasks other happy couples know to avoid or to tread carefully when doing together?

 

[scrhsa]

Going to the mall and trying to teach each other something. When I was first married I couldn't understand why we always got in a fight when we went to the mall. Then the light bulb went off!! He was really out of his comfort zone going to the mall!! And goodness gracious do NOT let us try to teach the other one something. We both have a little too much pride in trying to figure things out on our own
We travel well together! We've done a lot of traveling over the years and I've learned to trust is natural GPS skills. It's amazing how he can get turned around and then BOOM! we are where we need to be

 

[PollyannaMom]

Cover/uncover the pool!

(But we're getting better with experience.)

 

[Capang]

Putting things together. Toys, furniture you name it. We cannot do it together at all. I put the things together and he hands me a beer then gets out of my way. That's the only way we have made it work lol.

 

[lifesavacation]

Grocery shop

 

[katie01]

Trying to get anywhere on time. DH is chronically, habitually late, and I always want to be somewhere five minutes early. He gets mad if I remind him we are going to be late, I get mad that he can't be on time. I try to counteract it by telling him that things start earlier than they really do, but if he knows the start time, we are just late. We met his parents a few weeks ago at a place that was halfway between the two of us, he told them what time to be there, and we had to wait for him to be ready to leave, so we got there an hour late.

 

[Praying Colonel]

Grocery shop

We're better but that's our toughest one. She's a free spirit & just picks up whatever looks good; I'm a nerd & make a list, look at prices, costs/serving, etc. I drive her crazy & vice versa, but we've learned to accept what we're each like--for the most part.

 

[Mizzoufan]

housework

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

discuss politics - especially during election season

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

After a lot of thought, no nothing.

I know that sounds kind of crazy . But it's true.

 

[ronandannette]

Admin work. DH works at home and occasionally asks for my help if he's on a deadline or (more often) when he's having trouble with certain features of the software. He'll want me to do whatever it is (produce a document, spread sheet or multi-media presentation) because he's really not able to do it himself but then proceeds to breathe down my neck and second-guess every key stroke. More than once we've ended up both storming off in a huff.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

discuss politics - especially during election season

Same here.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

After a lot of thought, no nothing.

I know that sounds kind of crazy . But it's true.

That's us we fight but it's never about the same thing twice

 

[amberpi]

Trying to get anywhere on time. DH is chronically, habitually late, and I always want to be somewhere five minutes early. He gets mad if I remind him we are going to be late, I get mad that he can't be on time. I try to counteract it by telling him that things start earlier than they really do, but if he knows the start time, we are just late. We met his parents a few weeks ago at a place that was halfway between the two of us, he told them what time to be there, and we had to wait for him to be ready to leave, so we got there an hour late.

Getting to things early is actually a faux paus. Half an hour late? Also, terrible. I just arrive a few minutes early - perfect!

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Not yet. But my mother always advised me never to try and hang wallpaper with your significant other. So, I've heeded her warning and never tried.

I prefer painted walls, anyways.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

None that I can think of. But let's not talk about taste in music. He likes heavy metal screaming crap and I like Elton John and the like. We will never agree on music! Haha

 

[Belleofthehouse]

We cannot shop at Lowes without a fight. Home Depot ok. But. Not. Lowes

 

[PollyannaMom]

discuss politics - especially during election season

We just don't. Preventative measure.

 

[katie01]

Getting to things early is actually a faux paus. Half an hour late? Also, terrible. I just arrive a few minutes early - perfect!

Not the things I'm early for: church, work, the movie theater. And by early, I mean five minutes before start time. Left up to DH, he arrives halfway through Mass, after the homily. I know this from experience

 

[PollyannaMom]

I thought of another one. We cannot be over each other's shoulder while one is on the computer. (But that's easily avoided.)