Mike and I had been married for a few months when we decided to try an experiment. Last thing before falling asleep, we would each say three things that the other person did that day that we liked. It felt awkward and cheesy at first, but it grew on us over time.
Seven and a half years later, this practice continues every evening in our home. I think it’s the best experiment we ever tried. It’s easy to take your spouse for granted. Our “three things I liked today” ritual helps us recognize the little (and big) things we do for one another, and it’s nice to know that we are ending each day with a focus on the positives in our relationship.
Mike puts Emma to bed most nights, and a few months ago he started the “three things I liked today” ritual with her. He’ll tell her three things he liked that she did and she tells him some things she liked about her day (usually more than three). Besides ending her day with a focus on what she enjoyed about the day, this helps us learn more about what she likes and what is important to her. I’ll do the same during the day, often right before Mike gets home. Emma is still perfecting her understanding of time, and sometimes she talks about things that happened several days ago. That’s fine – we learn what things she likes so much that she remembers them for days (or months). And she always tells Mike, “I liked how Mama made dinner” – that makes my day!