marriage

 

Welcome back readers!

This weeks’ class was very interesting. We discussed “transitioning into marriage”; personally, this subject really hit home since I plan on proposing to my girlfriend this spring.

During class we went over the changes that will occur in marriage, introduction of kids, and the events leading to a wedding. Something that was very interesting to me was learning about an odd correlation; it was observed that the smaller the ring the greater the chances the couples have of being happier. This observation was really strange to me because I thought that the bigger the ring the happier the wife would be and then in return the marriage would be happier. Another thing I learned was that it is a great thing if the couple decides to get little financial help from either family for the wedding the happier the couple would be in the first year of marriage. The reason behind this being: if the newly weds get a lot of financial help they will be the responsibility/pressure of having to spend most holidays or more time with the family that helped them out. This pressure will be an emotional pressure and potentially financial as well since they might have that debt. These are things that I had never considered until I heard about this week. I now want to plan a way so that I do not need to ask for a lot of money. I do not want to feel pressured to spend more time with my family just because they helped me financially. I would prefer for me and wife to have the liberty to choose where we want to spend where we want to spend our holidays. I think that couples should avoid situations and pressures that will dampen their happiness in the beginning of their marriage.

Another important aspect of marriage is the introduction of children. We were shown a model that before a couple has kids the marriage is very well and happy. Once children are introduced the satisfaction of marriage goes down. With the addition of every child the satisfaction of the couple goes lower and lower. This is because when kids are introduced the parents stay up late, are busier with the kids, and the kids become the priority. This is not saying that kids are a bad thing or that kids ruin marriage. This is just pointing out that the kids take time “away” from the couple. Thus, the couple is less satisfied with the marriage. However, as the kids start to move out their satisfaction goes back up! More time for the husband and wife to be together = the more satisfaction the couple will have with one another. I fee like I need to explain this a little more because I do not want to share the wrong Idea. Kids do not take away from the marriage, in fact, they add more to the marriage. They make a marriage even more beautiful and special. When I say that the couple is less satisfied, I am saying that the couple is less satisfied because time is being taken away from one another.

Marriage is a great thing, and much joy comes from it. A marriage should a place of harmony and love.