Search Results for: what would you like to see from marriage in 08

Are You a Ride or Die Woman?

Are you a ride or die woman? I watched an infuriating episode of Dr. Phil last week that was on this topic. A ride or die woman is basically one who stays by her man no matter what. While that sounds great and I am definitely all for keeping a marriage together, there are limits. The woman on this show was refusing to leave her husband who had cheated on her numerous times. There was also no indication that he would stop. Yet she wasn’t willing to leave him because she loves him and she didn’t want her son to … Continue reading →

Family and Marriage

We’ve probably all heard it at some point, the idea that if a guy wants to know what his intended will be like in later years to look at her mother. Sometimes it might be true but not always. The strange thing is no-one ever suggests to a woman that they look at their intended’s father to see what he will turn out like. Wouldn’t you think that could be just as valid? Is this as my writer friend suggested a case of sexism? Or is there not such a strong link between fathers and sons as there is between … Continue reading →

How Many Races Are In Your Family Tree?

The way that Americans perceive race today is very different then how our ancestors would have defined it. Is there more than one race in your family tree? Learning more about the race of your ancestors can be complex, depending on the time the person lived, and the way race was defined on certain documents. Students who are in college right now make up the largest group of mixed-race people of any generation to come of age, so far. According to the Pew Research Center, who used data from 2008 and 2009, one in seven new marriages is between spouses … Continue reading →

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

Sometimes we learn things from a totally unrelated topic that can be applied to marriage. One that I encountered recently was ‘don’t beat yourself up over past mistakes and things you can’t change.’ We all have those moments in our marriage we regret, where we wish we’d never said or done what we did. But once we have admitted our fault to our spouse and resolved to try and not do it again, then it is time to move on. Sadly many of us, women in particular, keep harking back and going on over the experience. Beating ourselves up like … Continue reading →

Changes in Marriage in USA

The other day I touched on some of the changes that have occurred with woman and work over generations. Of course this has had a huge impact on marriage as well. Looking back to the early seventies, and in particular 1972, here are some of the differences the women’s movement has made in marriage. These statistics are taken from the Time magazine article by Nancy Gibbs based on –’a statistical look back at the journey of American Women,’ by Andréa Ford and Deidre Van Dyk. In 1972 women over the age of 15 who were married was 62%. These days … Continue reading →

Too Agreeable in a Marriage?

Can you be too agreeable in a marriage? I’m inclined to think you can and it sets up a recipe for boredom. Yes, it’s great to be in sync with your spouse and agree on most things or even some things. It’s especially important to be in agreement on the major issues, like raising children, discipline, core values, beliefs, family issues, finances, etc. It makes for a harmonious marriage. So does having common interests. But it’s not helpful to agree on every opinion and every interest. The person, who never has an opinion or makes a decision of their own, … Continue reading →

Disagreements Aren’t Always Bad for Your Marriage

Disagreements aren’t always bad. In fact they can be good for your marriage. Better to have it out in the open that festering inside and the other person not knowing what is wrong. I’m sure we’ve all heard the, ‘What’s wrong?’ ‘Nothing,’ the other person replies, though obviously there is. Then eventually the other person admits what the problem is. The alternative is that they dwell on it so much that sooner or later everything little thing the other person does starts to aggravate until eventually the whole thing blows up and turns into a major argument that is not … Continue reading →

Virginity Pledges and Marriage

Do you believe abstinence before marriage? No matter what your opinion in this area is, you might find a recent study about virginity pledges and teens. Virginity pledges are gaining popularity, especially, although not limited to, church youth groups. The object of a virginity pledge is to get young people to agree not to have sexual activity outside of marriage. Some people believe that these pledges cut down on the likelihood that teens will engage in sexual activity that might result in unexpected pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. But a recent study sheds some light on the effectiveness of these … Continue reading →

What Do You Need?

In these days of economic recession, it’s time for us to take stock and think about what we really need. The other day I saw some T-shirts advertised cheap. When I went in they were sold out but they did have lots of lovely blouses at reduced prices. ‘Why don’t you buy one?’ my husband said when he saw me looking at them. ‘Because I don’t need them.’ I needed a cheap T-shirt to wear to tennis. I didn’t need pretty blouses to wear out, though I have to admit it was tempting. It’s so easy to get caught up … Continue reading →

Changing Patterns in Marriage

As you look through the kaleidoscope of marriage, you will see changing patterns. Firstly there is the honeymoon stage, where you’re so in love and it’s all new and exciting. But not everyone finds the first year of marriage to be exciting. Some people find it decidedly stressful as they adapt to a marriage partner. This is followed, for most people, by the pattern of one or more children. Again that will depend on circumstances and what the couple decide. Children are a great blessing, but they also mean changes and added stress in a marriage. Sometimes a husband can … Continue reading →