Transitions in Marriage

This week we have been talking a lot about marriage, and the transitions that couples go through while being married. During that first month of marriage, there are several adjustments that couples go through, such as defining rules, boundaries, and responsibilities. It can be tough to assign who does what in a household, and discussions like these should be discussed while a couple is engaged. During the first year (or couple of years), a couple also adjusts to one another's social lives, values, and limitations. These also should be discussed and established during engagement, if possible.

Some of the most important tasks during engagement are to establish patterns, learn about each other and yourself more, establish roles in families, know each other's families, define social boundaries, and discuss mutual decision making. It is important to talk things through throughout the engagement, and to still have a good time as a couple. It is also important to ask one another what they thing the purpose of family is. These conversations can help define the marriage, and see what it will be like ahead of time.

It has been determined that as children are born in a marriage, marital satisfaction declines until the children leave. This can be due to a number of reasons, such as the father not being included in all of the life of the child, such as helping take care of baby tasks, and not being a part of the bond between the mother and baby. When there is communication, and inclusion, the marital satisfaction is more likely to not go down.

The ultimate purpose of two people being married is to create a new family.

Thanks for reading!