I learned everything I need to know from The Brady Bunch
As many of you know, I commute enough of a distance every morning that I get some serious radio time. Also, I really dislike commercials, and sales people, but that is another blog for another day. So, I listen to SIRIUS Radio. In fact, I am secretly obsessed with Wake Up With Taylor. GASP, I know. You can take a moment to judge, but honestly if I knew Taylor and Victoria (the hosts) - we would probably be friends. I recently revealed this fact to some friends who were very surprised and dismayed that I would actually listen to COSMO Radio, but hey, I think it is entertaining.
When I first started listening, Taylor was single so I could really identify with her. But like most of my friends, Taylor got married this summer. Speaking of which, I have two friends getting married this weekend. One on Friday night and another on Saturday night. Can you believe that? I digress. Anyway, yesterday morning Taylor was talking about her husband's insistence on helping "redecorate" i.e. "integrating each others possessions" into their apartment. I have had so many friends encounter this problem. Most of them have slowly moved all of their husbands belongings into the "office." I had one friend give me this vile look as I told her fiancee that I loved his "spear" from New Zealand, and that I thought it should definitely hang somewhere in the living room.
It really is quite interesting to sit back and listen to this same argument from all the couples I know. This past weekend our Sunday School class had a lesson from a marriage counselor concerning anger, and how to deal with anger in your relationships. I personally thought the lady who mistakenly thought our class was the "dream group class," and wandered into our room, added more hilariousness to the class than the teacher. However, the teacher did give all these examples about how to deal with the aforementioned problem. He then wandered off into the "drama triangle" and made us all slightly depressed about the future of our relationships, until the dream group lady said, "how do you break out of this cycle?" He didn't understand her question and she said, "how do you break out of the drama?" His half hearted understanding of her question resulted in the answer, "talk about the problem with each other." I thought, "well, duh? I don't need a degree to figure that one out."
As a child I always watched The Brady Bunch after school. I pretended that they were my brothers and sisters (I am an only child), and I would do all the things they did. Yes, I realize I am going to need some serious therapy one day. The thing is, I really think I learned a lot of great interpersonal skills from the Brady Bunch. Although I am single, I think some of these lessons might be helpful to you couples.
First: "Sometimes when you push people to far, you just can't bring them back again." - Carol Brady. If you fight over paintings, or colors on the wall, or spears, you will wake up one morning and have pushed the other person so far that you can't work it out. Then you will have to tell everyone you broke up over the spear hanging in the den - kinda embarrassing huh?
Second: "Money and fame are important things, but sometimes there are more important things - like people." - Carol Brady. Obviously Carol had her priorities in order. We all want to be wealthy and famous, right? But remember, don't step on everyone to get there - some of those people might be important.
Third: "Them who don't look, sometimes get took." - Mike Brady. I know a couple who had a major leak in their house recently. Right before bed time, they discovered the room was completely flooded. The husband mistakenly decided to go to bed rather than help clean it up. As you can imagine, she has a beautifully new renovated room... It is important to be present in times of crisis - or in the end, you might pay more than you bargained for.
Fourth: "You can't take a step forward with both feet on the ground." - Mike Brady. Dream big people. Dream big. Otherwise, you will be stuck where you are.
Fifth: Carol: "Mike, I've been rejected, flatly rejected." Mike: "Only by Tomorrow's Woman not by tonight's husband." Be supportive - or you might be yesterday's husband.
Sixth: "It doesn't take a Jack Frost to recognize a snow job." - Mike Brady. My parents argued for years about who got to sit on the sofa, or where "their" spot was on the sofa. Finally, my mom had an epiphany and used this as an excuse to buy two sofas...
My personal favorite: "Well, Jan, sometimes when we lose - we win." Carol Brady. This is Carol's subtle hint to women all over the world. It should teach women how to make men feel like they got their way...
(Disclaimer: (and this is only for my mother) I am totally kidding.)
When I first started listening, Taylor was single so I could really identify with her. But like most of my friends, Taylor got married this summer. Speaking of which, I have two friends getting married this weekend. One on Friday night and another on Saturday night. Can you believe that? I digress. Anyway, yesterday morning Taylor was talking about her husband's insistence on helping "redecorate" i.e. "integrating each others possessions" into their apartment. I have had so many friends encounter this problem. Most of them have slowly moved all of their husbands belongings into the "office." I had one friend give me this vile look as I told her fiancee that I loved his "spear" from New Zealand, and that I thought it should definitely hang somewhere in the living room.
It really is quite interesting to sit back and listen to this same argument from all the couples I know. This past weekend our Sunday School class had a lesson from a marriage counselor concerning anger, and how to deal with anger in your relationships. I personally thought the lady who mistakenly thought our class was the "dream group class," and wandered into our room, added more hilariousness to the class than the teacher. However, the teacher did give all these examples about how to deal with the aforementioned problem. He then wandered off into the "drama triangle" and made us all slightly depressed about the future of our relationships, until the dream group lady said, "how do you break out of this cycle?" He didn't understand her question and she said, "how do you break out of the drama?" His half hearted understanding of her question resulted in the answer, "talk about the problem with each other." I thought, "well, duh? I don't need a degree to figure that one out."
As a child I always watched The Brady Bunch after school. I pretended that they were my brothers and sisters (I am an only child), and I would do all the things they did. Yes, I realize I am going to need some serious therapy one day. The thing is, I really think I learned a lot of great interpersonal skills from the Brady Bunch. Although I am single, I think some of these lessons might be helpful to you couples.
First: "Sometimes when you push people to far, you just can't bring them back again." - Carol Brady. If you fight over paintings, or colors on the wall, or spears, you will wake up one morning and have pushed the other person so far that you can't work it out. Then you will have to tell everyone you broke up over the spear hanging in the den - kinda embarrassing huh?
Second: "Money and fame are important things, but sometimes there are more important things - like people." - Carol Brady. Obviously Carol had her priorities in order. We all want to be wealthy and famous, right? But remember, don't step on everyone to get there - some of those people might be important.
Third: "Them who don't look, sometimes get took." - Mike Brady. I know a couple who had a major leak in their house recently. Right before bed time, they discovered the room was completely flooded. The husband mistakenly decided to go to bed rather than help clean it up. As you can imagine, she has a beautifully new renovated room... It is important to be present in times of crisis - or in the end, you might pay more than you bargained for.
Fourth: "You can't take a step forward with both feet on the ground." - Mike Brady. Dream big people. Dream big. Otherwise, you will be stuck where you are.
Fifth: Carol: "Mike, I've been rejected, flatly rejected." Mike: "Only by Tomorrow's Woman not by tonight's husband." Be supportive - or you might be yesterday's husband.
Sixth: "It doesn't take a Jack Frost to recognize a snow job." - Mike Brady. My parents argued for years about who got to sit on the sofa, or where "their" spot was on the sofa. Finally, my mom had an epiphany and used this as an excuse to buy two sofas...
My personal favorite: "Well, Jan, sometimes when we lose - we win." Carol Brady. This is Carol's subtle hint to women all over the world. It should teach women how to make men feel like they got their way...
(Disclaimer: (and this is only for my mother) I am totally kidding.)
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