I wanna take you for granted

How often do you say "thank you" to your significant other?

I'm always amazed by girls who thank their boyfriends for things like showing up. Being nice to their friends. Staying mildly sober.

It's like, "Hello, you're supposed to do that stuff."

One male writer agrees. In a guest blog post for the NY Times, he asks readers, "Do you thank your spouse too much?" If the answer is "yes," you might be in trouble. Here's why:

When I’m thanked for doing only the things I don’t necessarily enjoy, I’m left with the feeling that my efforts are above and beyond expectations — not simply my responsibility as a partner in raising a family. It is as if it’s optional that I continue to participate at this level.

It's a nice analysis. Often, our "thank yous" reinforce a belief that common courtesy is optional.

Nonetheless, as many of the post's commenters point out, if thanking each other is the biggest problem in your relationship, you're in pretty good shape.