Last night Jack came home crazy crabby. Okay, crabby is actually a huge cutesification (real word, no?) of what he really was, which was angry, sour, bitter, and just an overall joy to be around. This happens periodically (God knows it happens in my side of the fence too), and I have dealt with it in a wide variety of ways, with varying degrees of failure. In the worst case scenario, I take it totally personally and get into an argument with him about his sourness. In the best case scenario, I ask if there's anything I can do ("No, thanks for asking.”) and then pretty much leave him alone to stew. It's just one of those things -- every so often work takes a little bit more out of him than he can afford to give, and he gets depleted (i.e., grouchy and resentful).
What are your strategies when it comes to helping your spouse recover from a crappy day at work?