| Marriage is more than a commitment between two | | | | aren't around, something awful may happen. This just |
| people to share each other's lives for a lifetime - it | | | | isn't so. |
| goes much deeper, including (usually) the start a family | | | | Learn to Trust |
| that eventually has children. | | | | In a marriage - and perhaps more so when children |
| As any married couple can tell you, having a child | | | | enter the picture - trust for one another is imperative. |
| changes everything and involves much more than | | | | Additionally, this issue of trust can also be of great |
| merely taking care of a baby (as challenging as that is) | | | | benefit with other extended family members and |
| - it also includes a recognition that your child is a future | | | | friends who can to help them in raising their children. |
| adult who requires your help progressively becoming a | | | | Doing so offers the kids proper socialization |
| mature, productive member of society. | | | | experiences and permits new parents time to spend |
| Difficult Choices | | | | alone with each other. |
| Raising your kids properly is a full time job, as any | | | | Quality time for parents - meaning "alone time" - is |
| parent can attest. They implicitly look to mom and dad | | | | imperative to help ensure the relationship withstands |
| as role models, and because of that, parents should | | | | the many stresses that go hand-in-hand with |
| project and teach good values, installing in their children | | | | parenthood. Don't ever let anyone convince you that |
| from the beginning the traits they want them to | | | | quality and quantity time together isn't vital to the health |
| emulate. | | | | of your marriage. Au contraire! |
| Because raising children can be an all-encompassing | | | | It's not at all unusual that when new parents aren't able |
| parental experience, many people find themselves in | | | | to (or simply won't) invest quality time into one another, |
| the awkward position of deciding whether to be | | | | they lose hold of the relationship entirely - often |
| primarily focused on raising their kids or the health of | | | | resulting in divorce. |
| their marriage. Those who opt for the former | | | | Problems Starting a Family |
| frequently find their marital relationship faltering | | | | Sometimes, couples find themselves unable to have |
| because it was put on the back-burner. | | | | children due to unanticipated biological issues. This kind |
| Fortunately, this doesn't need to be an either/or | | | | of disappointment can weigh heavily on a relationship, |
| scenario. | | | | being both painful and simply difficult to accept. |
| Protect Your Foundation | | | | The stress that can accompany the inability to bear |
| While it is not uncommon that focusing on a child can | | | | children of their own may sometimes negatively |
| become an overwhelming priority in a new parent's life, | | | | influence the relationship rather than drawing a couple |
| it is imperative that a couple remember the foundation | | | | closer. So if having children is very important to your |
| of their family is not really parenting skills, but instead | | | | life plan, discuss the prospect of unexpected difficulties |
| the health of their marriage. | | | | doing so prior to marriage. There are fulfilling |
| Parents, especially first-time parents, often feel as | | | | alternatives to having biological children, including |
| though they need to commit almost every waking | | | | adoption. |
| moment glued to their children's sides - that if they | | | | |