Search Results for: blog should marriage preparation classes be compulsory

Do Marriage Preparation Classes Work?

As many of you know I’m a big advocate for marriage preparation classes. But do they work, that is the question? The other day I received an e-mail giving me a link to an article about a study regarding marriage preparation classes. Thanks to Amanda Verzello for sending this to me. The article looks at whether marriage preparation classes work. The article didn’t appear to come to a definitive conclusion. It was very much yes and no. Yes, in the sense that in the majority of cases, it did improve communication between couples. To my mind anything that improves communication … Continue reading →

Short Term Contract Marriages?

Will we soon see short term contract marriages? Will we see couples contracting to marry for three years or five years, and then with an option to renew, instead of till death us do part? That’s the question Mick raised recently. And no, I don’t for a moment think he’s ready to trade me in or regretting ours is a life contract. It’s more a reflection of the way society is going. We live in a disposable society. Most major appliance manufacturers tell you they have a life of around 5-8 years – a situation I find laughable. Who can … Continue reading →

Should Marriage Preparation Classes Be Compulsory?

Posted on by

Given the sad state or marriages and the number of marriages that are ending in divorce, should marriage preparation classes be compulsory for all couples? Instead of waiting till couples are experiencing problems in their marriages and then trying to fix them, should we try and nip it in the bud before they marry? Sometimes it seems that people need to think seriously about what they’re doing and what marriage entails, rather than just being swept along by a wave of emotion. Love is not enough in marriage. Love alone, will not get you through the tough times, the economic … Continue reading →

The Optium Time to Have Children?

Is there an optimum time to have children? Once, people married young and had children young. These days, many couples choose to delay having children and that can cause its own problems as older mothers are more at risk of children with compilations like Downs Syndrome. The other thing is that often women are more involved with their career and are less likely to want to give it up for family. Sadly, many older women are choosing to abort because they see their career as the prime focus. Having children as soon as you are married can also be a … Continue reading →

Where to from Here?

Too often these days the wedding day is rather like the moon shot or moon walk. At least that’s what my husband observed the other day. What did his mean? Let me explain. He’d been reading an article in Time magazine about Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and others who went to the moon. First there was all the waiting and preparation that went on for so long beforehand, followed by the hype during the moon landing. Then it’s over, the astronauts come home and suddenly realize, once you’ve been to the moon and walked on the moon, what else is … Continue reading →

Something You May Not Have Thought About

Today I’m going to talk about something you may not have thought about as affecting your marriage, but it is something I suspect a few of us are guilty of. I know I am. The issue is negative self talk. This was something that came up during marriage preparation classes for a young couple I know. When I talk about marriage preparation classes I’m not talking about those quick fix couple of hour’s courses that are supposed to give all the answers to how to prepare you for marriage or solve any problems in your marriage in one easy lesson. … Continue reading →

When There’s a Problem, Deal With It!

Yesterday we looked at the little things in marriage that can be a problem. As well as not letting them build up, there is another reason those who run marriage preparation courses advocate dealing with the little things. If you can’t talk about the little things how are you ever going to be able to talk about the big things in your marriage? Communication is something that needs to be practiced and made a habit, we not only take into our marriages but keep up once we are married. Sometimes we may think we don’t want to talk about certain … Continue reading →

Lifestyle Change

Last week I’d seen a sign about alpacas. I love alpacas. They are so cute. So we visited the alpaca farm on Saturday. Since Mick’s been sick all this week I suggested we stay home, but he thought it might be good to get out for a bit. We spent an enjoyable trip alongside the river on a road winding through green fields (paddocks we Aussies call them). Following the alpaca signs we turned in to a property where we were greeted by a smiling friendly woman. Behind here were pens of adorable alpacas and llamas. I regretted I’d forgotten … Continue reading →