John Bytheway: the hazards of criticism in marriages

Many couples who hope to improve their marriages start by doing more of the good things, like prayer and scripture study. But sometimes couples forget about cutting back on the bad things, like criticism, Education Week instructor John Bytheway said.

“It’s like inviting the Holy Ghost into our home but refusing to kick the adversary out,” Bytheway said.

Bytheway, a well-known author and speaker among Latter-day Saint youth, gave counsel and advice to an older crowd Tuesday in the Marriott Center.

In his presentation “Helping Your Husband Preside in Love and Righteousness,” Bytheway warned about the dangers of criticism in marriage.

“It’s always a good idea to run things through a filter before they come out of your mouth,” he said. “ ‘How will this make my spouse feel?’ ‘Is my comment really a veiled criticism?’ ”