When he wants you to pipe up: there are moments when he prays you will shut your trap. These aren't them. (His Point Of View).(when men like women to be assertive)(Brief Article)

* Guys are constantly bellyaching about their women trying to wear the pants in the relationship, but there are certain instances when we count on you to lay down the law: either when we're testing you to see what we can get away with or when we have about as much willpower as a carb-jonesing Atkins dieter in a bread factory. The following is a list of occasions when you should freely speak your mind while standing your ground.

he didn't call when he said he would

When a guy fails to make a promised call, a sincere apology should be the first words out of his mouth the next time you talk. Notice the word should. Usually, guys say nothing, hoping that you will somehow forget that he was supposed to ring you. That's why you need to say something not too bitchy, like "You said you'd call me last night.... Did you get tied up?" Although you may think that cutting him slack is solid proof that you're not a nag, holding him accountable for his behavior lets him know that you're not a doormat.

he's underdressed

You're decked in head-to-toe black and killer heels; he pulls on wrinkled khakis and a golf shirt. Do you spend the evening feeling like you took the copy repair guy out for a bite? No--you demand, "We're not going anywhere until you put on an oxford and dress pants." You're saving him from himself, and while he has the male obligation initially to refuse to be your whipped dress-up doll, deep down, he doesn't want you to let him be a laughing-stock at Chez Pierre. "If she lets me win, I'll just wind up feeling self-conscious all night ... and angry at her when she makes a comment later," says Darren *, 32.

he tries to break a date

He's tired from a brutal work schedule or still hungover from his night out with the boys and wants to bag dinner. Reasonable? Sure ... once in a blue moon. But if his excuse is particularly lame, threaten to primp up and go out with your girls. He'll either rally or stick to indulging his couch-potato whims. Either way, he'll ...