Despite Tiger Woods and the Gore divorce, we're still optimistic about marriage.
The truth is, all marriages are only as good as the people in them, which is to say, they aren't that great at all. But do our inherent imperfections make marriage and monogamy a dying societal institution? No. Reports of marriage's demise have been greatly exaggerated. No ring, no dress and no promise, can make a person or relationship perfect. And sometimes it takes the rose colored glasses being smashed to smithereens, before we can accept and love what we have in an open and honest way. And while 2010 has been part of that destruction, in a small way it's also contributed to our acceptance of love as it is, not as we want it to be.
How we make our marriage work around the holidays.
My husband came with me to pick out a tree and he put it up in the stand for me. But then he sat down on the couch, turned on the TV and tuned me and my good tidings out. I, of course, responded by getting upset. And then I was upset because I was upset on Christmas. It was all downhill from there. Three hours later, I had decorated the tree amid gripes, nags and sniffles, and I wasn't feeling any sort of goodwill toward men.
Telling your kids the truth about Santa is also an opportunity to strengthen your marriage.
While you may have differing ideas of when and what to tell your kids about the big elf in the red suit. Having the talk about Santa is a time to come together as a couple and a family. And, no matter your experience with Mr. Claus, telling your kids the truth about Santa can be an opportunity to strengthen your relationship. Here are some things you can consider together as a couple to help ease the pain:
Shortly after moving into a new home, Matt had buyer's remorse. But Jennifer was happy living in the city. Would you move for your spouse, if you knew your happiness was at stake?
One couple learns some valuable lessons after living with the bride's parents.
My fiancé’s new job had taken him about 90 minutes from where he was living and moved him to my home state. We had a few options: find an apartment for him until we later found a home, buy a house quick, or accept my parents’ offer to let us stay with them. They wanted to help us save money for our wedding and a future house, which was a huge gift on their part. And living with my parents wasn’t as weird as you may think
Traditional Love is nominated for a blogging award. Plus, size does matter.
Traditional Love was nominated as a finalist, in The Marry Blogger's Top-Ten Marriage Blog awards. So head on over to The Marry Blog and vote for us. We are among some pretty awesome contenders, so this week's link round-up includes some of the best posts from the finalists and of course some zany marriage news, that I know you need.
Forget presents, what matters during the holidays are your relationships.
It's easy to get caught up in the holiday rush and lose sight of what really matters. No wonder so many people feel so stressed during what should be one of the best times of the year. But ultimately, what matters most isn't getting the best deal, it's taking time out from our busy lives and celebrating with friends and family. So, while it may be a cliche, it's still true. The holidays aren't about commercialism, they're about being thankful for what we have. This is a season for miracles, big and small--the birth of a savior, an oil lamp that burned for eight days, and the love of family. And the best part is that those things don't require you to stand in line in the cold at three in the morning on a Friday.
How do you make a relationship work in a small space.
Because homes, Sarah Susanka writes in The Not So Big House, require both private and open spaces. "Sometimes we feel like being with others, and other times we need solitude." Our home lacked a private place where we could cocoon ourselves to repair after a stressful day. Even our master bath, without a door to close off the toilet, had become a sort of public gathering spot. And not a very sanitary one. How can you sort through what you feel when there's no separation?
I want my husband to take part in mealtime, even if it means using formula.
I want my husband to help feed our baby. What I didn't expect was the incredulity people expressed when I told them I wanted my husband to be involved with the feeding of our child and, if that means we supplement with formula, then so be it. This decision has nothing to do with me shirking my duties as a parent, and it's not a way to somehow coerce my husband into more late nights than are his due. I just really want him to share in the fun of feeding time.
YourTango experts argue for the relevance of marriage.
While the Pew Research data had many people ringing the death knell for marriage, those headlines don't tell the whole story. Dr. Corey Allan, family and marriage therapist and Traditional Love blogger noted, "The recent reporting of the Pew Research doesn't share the whole story when it comes to marriage. If you simply report the reverse of what was actually reported you'll read that six in 10 people believe marriage is not obsolete. And you'll read that 70% are optimistic about marriage and family life.
40 percent of Americans think marriage is obsolete. Plus, is Facebook a sin?
Each week, Traditional Love rounds up the best (and worst) marriage news from the week. And this week, has plenty of both. Not only are we all in a tizzy over the next royal wedding, but apparently, all this fuss over the dress is just fluff (of the tulle variety). According to a Pew Research poll, 40% of Americans think marriage is obsolete. So, why do we care so much about Kate and Will's fairytale romance?
