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I have been very happily married to my husband for thirty-five years. What makes a great marriage? People ask that question all the time. There is a simple answer. Compromise.
The top ten ways to have a happy marriage
1. Recognize that your partner’s happiness needs to be what makes you happy too.
2. Take an interest in what they care about. I don’t love watching golf, but I have learned to aske questions about the game and have a greater understanding of golf. He encourages my writing and helps edits my blogs.
3. Spend time together, doing something you both enjoy. When we first had children we tried to have a weekly date. I used to tell him, “i don’t care if we just go out for a baloney sandwich, I just want time as a couple.” Now that our children are adults, we love spending time traveling together. Make it an adventure.
4. Divide household chores, but be willing to mix them up. My husband started cooking when he retired, and I started doing some gardening. He still is better handling the bills, and I do a better job cleaning than he does.
5. Spend time apart. I’m not suggesting you move out of your home but have interest outside of your home that doesn’t involve your partner.
6. Agree to agree when it comes to discipline. Presenting a united front is always the best approach when parenting children. Kids like structure and rules, they can smell weakness. When your children are young be a parent, not their friend. If you do a good enough job Actually parenting when they are young, they will want to be your friend when they are adults.
7. Make time for your love life. I read somewhere once that greatest gift a father can give his children is to love their mother. Set an example of love and respect.
8. Laugh together, at each other and with each other. We’re not afraid to make fun of one another. I know my bad driving is the likely cause of road rage in the state of Arizona and he knows that he doesn’t really need three navigation systems to get us somewhere.
9. Forgive one another, don’t hold onto grudges. Sometime you have to agree to disagree, then drop the subject.
10. Go though tough times. LIfe usually makes this happen for all of us anyway, but it does strengthen your love. We have been at one another’s side for so many difficult times. We have held each other up through sickness, stress and the death of our parents. We have cried in each other’s arms and we both have always known that the love we have for each other carries us on.
