How Men And Women Are Complementary, And How This Benefits Couples (And Their Children)

It’s often said that, in a marriage, women are the heart of the home while men are the head. Though some see this as an image that demeans women, reducing them to a subordinate role, it’s actually a beautiful analogy that points to the truth that both husband and wife are necessary for the proper functioning of a household. The head can’t exist without the heart; the heart can’t exist without the head; the whole body can’t exist without both. 

Male Brain and Female Brain

These roles and their unique strengths are determined largely by biology. Woman — the heart — is naturally inclined to nurture. We were created with the ability to grow and care for new life. Pregnancy causes changes in a mother’s brain, enabling for a greater attachment to her baby. Studies also show that women are more hardwired for compassion. Our brains favor more emotional activity. 

Pregnancy causes changes in a mother’s brain, enabling for a greater attachment to her baby.

The male brain, which functions differently than the female brain, is less geared towards emotion and more towards rational activity. Feminists often take issue with this, asserting that women are just as — if not more — rational than men. Yes, women are capable of rational thought. Men are simply less likely to allow emotion to dominate. One is not necessarily better than the other. When joined together, though, emotion and rationale allow for complete perspective and better decision-making. Thus, the heart and the head work in unison. 

One can easily see the benefits of this in family life. A mother, for example, may tend to err on the side of more indulgence and less discipline with her children, while a father asserts the importance of stricter discipline. The balance of the two will result in a firm, but loving (and effective) method of raising their children. 

Women Talk More Than Men

The aforementioned differences in female and male brains also lead to other distinctions in behavior. Women are far more loquacious than men, using approximately 8,000 words in a day, while men use roughly half of that. Thus, male and female communication is vastly different, but that doesn’t mean that we’re incapable of understanding each other. Rather, couples can learn each other’s methods and, thereby, become altogether better communicators. A wife may find that she has to temper her speech and learn nonverbal forms of communication, while a husband may have to do the opposite — learn to outwardly express himself better. Both will grow in the virtue of patience and the ability to listen. 

Women use approximately 8,000 words in a day, while men use roughly half of that.

Men See the Big Picture Better

Men and women also differ in their overall perspectives on things. Men see the big picture, while women focus on details. Again, one is not better than the other, but together, they can enable better outcomes. Planning family trips, remodeling a new home, and even moving across the country all become easier with the husband and wife’s joint vision. 

Women Can Multitask Better

Finally, men tend to compartmentalize and focus on a single task, while women multitask. A woman can juggle three pots on the stove, a child asking for help on his literature homework, and a ringing telephone. While a blessing, this can also be a curse for sometimes it is necessary to slow down and hone in on one specific endeavor. A husband can help his wife with such focus, while a wife can help her husband break free from his one-track mind every now and then. 

The head can’t exist without the heart; the heart can’t exist without the head; the whole body can’t exist without both.

Closing Thoughts

There’s a reason men and women were created different: they’re two halves of a whole. Like puzzle pieces, when a man and woman come together in marriage, they fit together to complete a greater picture. Their strengths complement each other, creating harmony in a household. They are the head and the heart, enabling a family to move ever forward in love.