Search Results for: blog connecting with other married couples

Less People Are Getting Married

Have you heard that marriage is on the decline? Not in the sense that they are ending in divorce (although, that is obviously still an issue) but that less people in America are embracing holy matrimony? Back in 1960, the percentage of adults married was at 72%. Currently it’s at 51% and according to new research, with the trend continuing this way, in just a few years it will fall below 50%. While marriage is declining, single person/parent homes and living together is increasing. We all have our own thoughts and opinions on this. My personal view is that marriage … Continue reading →

Connecting with Other Married Couples

I have always been a firm believer in date nights. Although we didn’t get to enjoy as many as we would have liked when our children were younger, we still tried to make sure they happened. But just as important as date nights are, I also think getting out with another couple is beneficial to a marriage. This is a great way to connect with others who are like-minded. When you spend time with another married couple, you get to observe their interactions. This can cause you to stop and think about something in your own marriage that could be … Continue reading →

Tips for Married Life After Baby

Yesterday we looked at how some new Moms abdicate from normal life when baby arrives. Here are helpful tips and ways we went about preventing this. From the time my children were born, I got them used to noise. The radio or music was always on. We never tiptoed round the house when baby was asleep. They learned to get used to everyday noise. I still went out to tennis, to bible study, to whatever I was involved in. Our daughter was five days old when my husband and I took her to Sunday school with us, where we were … Continue reading →

Are You Too Old To Get Married?

We talked about being over 50 and enjoying dating yesterday, but do you ever wonder if you are too old to get married? I’ve seen plenty of people over the age of 50 discover love, companionship and even marriage for the first time and for some, the second time. These couples may meet for the first time at a church, a social gathering, on a cruise or just in the course of their everyday lives. They could be high school sweethearts reconnecting after decades apart. They can former spouses or even old friends who kindle a new relationship. What can … Continue reading →

The Ups and Downs of Marriage

If you have been married for any length of time, you quickly come to realize that marriage has ups and downs. Sometimes the ups are more than the downs, but it can also be the other way. Or it may be that the downs seem to last longer. The important thing is that you accept the fact that it won’t always be sunshine and roses. Sometimes people go into marriage with a certain expectation and as soon as things get difficult, they start to question if they should stay. Sometimes they don’t even take the time to question it, they … Continue reading →

Do You Have the Makings of a Good Wife?

I ran across a copy of an old article from “Housekeeping Monthly,” the May, 13, 1955 edition. The title of the article was, “The Good Wife’s Guide.” After reading through it, all I could think was, “Boy, times have changed!” The expectations of a wife from 1955 are very different than now. Here is a summary of what made a good wife in the year 1955: A meal that was ready and waiting for her husband Taking 15 minutes to refresh and touch yourself up (for added measure, put a ribbon in your hair) Clear away any clutter in the … Continue reading →

Intentional Changes for 2012

A couple of years ago I heard about going into the New Year with a “word.” It’s not like the American Dialect Society, who every year chooses a new “word of the year.” This is a word that inspires you to make changes or brings a particular meaning to your life. For instance, some people have chosen the word “hope” or “peace.” If the previous year was filled with difficulties and challenges, you might look to the New Year as having hope. Or if the previous year had been filled with relational difficulties, you might be looking at the New … Continue reading →

5 Ways to Reconnect in Your Marriage

When we get married, the first years of our relationship may coast as you continue to celebrate your union. With the birth of children, more gems are added to the beautiful jewels of your life. Still, at some point, every couple hits a rocky patch. Maybe they are too busy or maybe they have changed. The simple fact is that conflicts happen, even in the happiest of relationships. Conflicts do not end relationships, healthy conflicts help you air things out in the relationship and healthy arguments are the root of a good debate. Still, if you are concerned about not … Continue reading →

Mindless Does Matter

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“Contrary popular belief,” says Dr. John Gottman, the professor of psychology who founded the Gottman Institute. “It is the mundane events of everyday life that build love in marriage. Connecting in the countless mindless moments that usually go by unnoticed establishing a positive emotional climate.” Gottman’s research over the last 25 years has lead Gottman to the following conclusions: Only 20% of divorces are caused by an affair Marriages Die with a Whimper So if only 20% of divorces are caused by an affair (which flies in the face of all the muckety muck promoted by soap operas) then the … Continue reading →