Romance for Parents: Tips to Keeping Your Marriage Strong
With today’s throwaway mentality, many marriages don’t stand a chance. People often lose sight of the essentials that are needed to keep a marriage strong and thriving. In addition to taking care of the kids, the parents must also remember to take care of one another. A marriage won’t survive unless the couple remembers the bond they have and how important it is to keep the romance in the relationship.
Communication
The most important aspect of any relationship is communication. Open lines of communication are a must if a marriage is going to have a chance past the first year. Talk to one another. Write notes, anything that conveys a message of love. Don’t go to bed with unspoken feelings between the two of you. If you are fighting, talk it out before you finally go to bed. If something is bothering you, speak your mind and clear the air before the situation gets out of hand. Communication keeps everything out in the open and makes it easier to resolve even the hardest of issues.
Weekly Date Night
In a marriage with children, the hardest thing a couple can do is find time for one another. Have a weekly date night. Even if it is nothing more than setting aside a night where you sit outside by a campfire and enjoy some quite time, the important thing is that you are together and alone. Being able to enjoy one another’s company outside of the family dynamic is the best way to keep the relationship new and exciting.
Please & Thank You
Always remember your manners. You teach your children to say “Please” and “Thank you” as signs of appreciation and respect. The same is true in your marriage. Your manners say a lot about how much you love and respect your partner. People who forget to use their manners sound bossy and overbearing. Using your manners also sets a good example to your children. It shows them that no matter how old you are, using proper etiquette and manners is a sign of dignity and respect.
It’s the Little Things
While all of the other things listed are important, it will always be the little things that seal the deal. A touch, a smile, a hug, a note in your spouse’s briefcase or lunch box are the things they will remember. The little things are those you do without a lot of planning. These random acts show them that no matter what may be going on in their day, you are thinking of them and how much you mean to them.
Keeping a marriage together in today’s society may be somewhat trying, but it can be done. Make sure your spouse knows how you feel about them. Share your time and show your love. It only takes a few minutes to show your partner how much they mean to you. Those few minutes may just end up being the highlight of their day.