How to Divvy up Household Chores and Still Maintain a Happy Relationship With Your S.O.

1. Listen without judging if your friend reveals an ongoing argument about a family will

Being a good listener is one of the most basic — and yet most important — things you can do as a friend 365 days of the year, but when tensions run high near the holidays, those listening skills become all the more crucial. You might even consider resisting the urge to speak, like, at all. “Be a good listener and don’t give advice,” licensed marriage and family therapist Katie Ziskind says. “Supporting someone doesn’t mean that you have to fix their problem. Instead, truly being supportive means giving a hug when someone is crying and being a caring friend.”

2. Prep your pal to expect drama if your uncle's invited his new girlfriend and ex to dinner

Rather than reassuring your friend that things at family celebrations may not be as bad as they fear, trust what they know about the situation and help them wrap their head around what’s to come. This should minimize the stress for them in the long run. “If you expect it and it happens, situation normal,” certified life coach Susan Golicic tells us. “If you expect it and it doesn’t, well, then, a bonus!”

3. Help your bestie make a plan in case their fight-or-flight mode gets triggered

Going into any situation with a plan almost always feels better than going in unprepared. Per writer, speaker, and healing expert Alisa Zipursky, a helpful plan might include specific check-in times, a code word that indicates your friend needs extra support, and ideas for creating healthy boundaries with family members who make them feel especially triggered. “The idea is to make asking for help as easy as possible,” Zipursky says. “Making sure a proactive plan is in place well before someone enters the stressful situation can help relieve some of the anticipatory anxiety.”

4. Check in often by sending your friend periodic texts 

Licensed counselor Maria Inoa recommends that you prioritize regular touch-base texts over the course of whatever event is causing your friend the most stress. It’s not about solving the conflicts or taking away their pain. Instead, you can focus on offering gentle reminders that you are thinking of them and are available if they need you.

5. Create a new tradition that revolves around you and and your bestie's favorite Christmas movies

If your friend’s family holiday celebrations don’t exactly inspire positive feelings about the occasion, why not help them establish some better associations? Licensed clinical professional counselor Anna Poss suggests planning a “low-stress, fun way to celebrate with each other before or after the actual holiday.” Get a seasonal movie night or cookie swap on the calendar before everyone leaves town to hang with family. Those cozy vibes may help dull the negative, anxious feelings.

6. Write down words of affirmations for them to look at

Grab some pretty stationery and put your love and support on paper for your BFF. “In the note, remind her how strong, courageous, and capable she is,” licensed psychotherapist and life coach Diane Petrella says. “Let her know how much you love and admire her and how grateful you are for her friendship. Write whatever you think your friend needs to hear to feel supported, grounded, and loved.” Remind her to hide the note in her pocket or bag so she can read it whenever she needs a little extra TLC over the course of the holidays. You can even go one step further and send them home with a care package, per therapistShannon Thomas.

7. Invite your friend to your family celebration

If things have gotten so bad with your bestie’s family that she wants to steer clear of their celebrations entirely, you may want to invite her to join you and your crew instead. Even if she opts to decline your invitation, it will mean a lot to her to know that she has choices. If your friend does take you up on the offer, Mountainside Treatment Center‘s family wellness manager Tina Muller recommends that you try to incorporate some of her favorite traditions into your holiday schedule.

8. Keep your phone nearby if your friend needs to talk about everything that happened

“Before an event with possible family issues even happens, schedule a time not long after to see the friend,” marriage and family therapist Sarah Epstein suggests. “Now you’ve become the light at the end of the tunnel for them.” Be prepared to be a listening ear over dinner or a workout session so your pal can vent about everything that’s gone on and (hopefully) be ready to move on from there.

How many children do Emily Blunt and John Krasinski have?

The couple has two daughters together — Hazel, 10, and Violet, 7. They confirmed their first pregnancy with Hazel in 2013 and only announced the arrival of Violet after she was born in 2016.

On September 7, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt and their daughters showed up to the US Open. Hazel wore a white US Open cap while Emily and John opted for black hats. Violet stood out with her hair in a ponytail & bow.

What have Emily Blunt and John Krasinski said about their daughters?

John told Peoplein 2020 that becoming a father has been one of the biggest changes in his life. He said, "“I went through some really serious stuff...There is a mirror that is held up to me now. You have someone watching you. You have to lead by example.” He also said he's been able to see his parents' perspectives now that he's raising children.

Emily told Harper's Bazaar UK last year that their daughters are a top priority for her. It's why she carves out time to be with them as much as possible when working. She said, "...even though they’re...used to this strange life, it’s still rough on them when I have to go away." As a working mom, I can only imagine how difficult it is for actors and actresses to explain to their kids why they have to go away for periods of time.

She went on to say, "There are cornerstones of the girls’ day that I don’t want to compromise on – like, will you wake me up, take me to school...It’s such an exhale for me to be able to do that."

When Did Emily Blunt and John Krasinski meet?

Emily appeared on A Late Night with Seth Meyers in 2018 and admitted their first meeting was fairly casual. She said, "...it's just kind of lame. I mean, I was in a restaurant. He was in the restaurant." She then says something that made me giggle. "This is our romantic comedy! This is it. Write it," said Emily.

From there, she talks about how their mutual friend spotted John and the way her future husband made her laugh when he came to the table. As simple as that sounds, I think the best love stories don't always have an overly dazzling beginning. Sometimes it's really the small interactions that touch the heart.

And as for John's perspective on the meeting? Well, he told PEOPLE for the Sexiest Man Alive issue that he fell for Emily "the second he met her." The star said, "I don't know what happened, but I remember someone introduced us, and it was across a room in a restaurant, and I walked over to her, and as soon as I shook her hand, I just knew." OKAY, BRB SOBBING. 😭❤️

When did Emily Blunt and John Krasinski start dating?

They've never shared an official timeline for their first date, but we're pretty sure it didn't take long for Emily Blunt and John Krasinski to have their first date after meeting in 2008. They don't agree on who asked who out first, but the couple told The Hollywood Reporter in 2018 that they basically hung out at John's apartment and ate pizza. I always say the best way to know if you really like someone is if you enjoy being around them doing something that's considered mundane — like eating pizza and watching movies.

When did Emily Blunt and John Krasinski get married?

Less than a year after dating, Emily Blunt and John Krasinski got engaged! A rep told People, "We can confirm that John and Emily are engaged."

They were engaged for almost a year before "jumping the broom" in 2010 and had an exclusive wedding at fellow actor George Clooney's house! Funny enough, John was hesitant about having their wedding there and told Elle, "Only on the fourth ask did I say yes. Because the first three times I thought, There's no way he is serious. But I started to see his feelings get hurt."

What have Emily Blunt and John Krasinski said about their relationship?

John admitted to Glamour in 2018 that he'd watched The Devil Wears Prada over 50 times. "I’m lucky enough that she stayed with me and didn’t realize that she had really married her stalker," he said.

Emily gushed about her husband by telling InStylein 2021, "When I feel the support that I have from him, I feel invincible. There's someone behind you on your good days and someone in front of you on your bad days."

Why did Emily Blunt and John Krasinski decide to work on "A Quiet Place" together?

When it was announced that Emily Blunt and John Krasinski were working on their first film together, A Quiet Place, I was beyond excited. Of their experience on set together, John admitted to Peoplein 2018 that he had a lot of fun working with Emily. He said, “I’ve never have loved my wife more than after we did this movie...We were really honest with each other from the beginning."

And when Emily won the award for Best Supporting Actress at the 25th Annual SAG Awards in 2019, she had nothing but positive things to say about John. She said, "I am going to share this completely with my husband, John Krasinski, because the entire experience of doing this with you has completely pierced my heart directly...You are a stunning filmmaker..."

How have Emily Blunt and John Krasinski supported each other's careers?

Now that Emily is getting ready for the debut of The Fall Guy alongside Ryan Gosling, she can't help but to talk about how John influenced her to lean into her latest role. She recently told People, "I am married to a director, I know what it's like to hold the tempest of the movie in your head and the pressures and being pulled in a million directions."

John's also grateful that he has a wife like Emily. He told Paradein 2022, "On a daily basis, but certainly in a career-wise, as a dad, she pushes me to be better every single day at everything I do. So I look forward to the next day cause I know it'll be better than the one before."

Sigh. Excuse me — I'll be somewhere crying about the way these two have shown up for each other over the years.

Is Mamma Mia 3 happening?

Yes, Mamma Mia 3 is in its early planning stages! Christine Baranski just told The Hollywood Reporter that she's met with producer Judy Kramer, and that Kramer has plans for the third movie. "She gave me the narrative plotline of how it’s going to happen," Baranski says. "That’s all I can say! But, it’s not like, 'Oh, I wish it could happen!' Judy Kramer makes things happen. She made number two happen, and it was a phenomenal hit. I wouldn’t put it past Judy Kramer to get everybody back together."

A third installation was first mentioned way back in 2020, during a Collider interview with Mamma Mia! star Amanda Seyfried. Seyfried said she was on board — and at the time, she thought the rest of the star-studded cast would be too.

"Listen, every single person in that movie would say yes in a heartbeat because we want to hang out with each other," Seyfried told Collider at the time. "That's what we talked about last time, like did we ever think that we'd end up here again on an Island in Croatia?"

When will Mamma Mia 3 come out?

We don't have an official answer about when to expect this highly anticipated sequel. The project is in the "earliest stages," according to creator and producer, Judy Craymer. Cher also revealed to Entertainment Weekly that everyone is "talking about it," but she doesn't "know when they're going to do it."

Has casting information been shared about Mamma Mia 3?

While nothing's been made official, Amanda Seyfried just said something that made my heart skip a beat. She told ABC News she loves Sabrina Carpenter's music and dropped this admission: "If Sabrina Carpenter wants to play my daughter, I’ll make it happen."

But before she admitted that, the actress said something else that made me raise my eyebrows. "Everybody says it’s gonna happen, but I mean, I haven’t seen a script."

Cher is also eager to return to the beloved franchise and is rooting for Meryl to make an appearance again. "I keep saying, 'Meryl, you've got to come back,'" she said (via Entertainment Weekly). She also said she's told her, "'It'll be fun. You'll have a good time. You'll be able to sing.'"

I don't know what it'll take, but hope someone gets a script in Amanda Seyfried, Cher, and Meryl Streep's hands ASAP!

What is the first Mamma Mia about?

The first film follows Donna (Streep) and Sophie (Seyfried) as mother and daughter living on a remote Greek island. When Sophie is about to marry Sky (Dominic Cooper), she sets out to learn who her real father is after discovering it could be one of three men (played by Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard, and Colin Firth).

Who does the second Mamma Mia follow?

Mamma Mia 2takes viewers back to 1979, where young Donna (Lily James) embarks on a series of adventures throughout Europe following her Oxford University graduation. On her journeys, she makes the acquaintances of Harry, Bill and Sam – the latter whom she falls in love with. In the present day, pregnant Sophie dreams of renovating a taverna while reuniting with her mother's old friends and boyfriends on a Greek island island.