Components of a Marriage Seminar
- Communication -- or the lack thereof -- is a major source of contention in many marriages. HomeWord.com has a humorous list of marriage seminar topics that wives wish their husbands could attend, and topping the list is "Improving Communication: Going Beyond 'Mmmmph,' 'Fine,' 'Yeah,' and Uh-huh.' " This underscores the need to address poor communication, which may range from arguments and debates to nonverbal displays of disinterest.
- Time is a limited resource. Add marriage to the equation and the balancing act becomes more complex. However, spending time with a spouse cannot be at the bottom of a to-do-list, or not even on it. If marriage is not a priority, it is only a matter of time before divorce becomes a viable alternative.
- "Of all the issues that spark a fight, debt ranked No. 1 for most (37 percent) of the respondents" in a Smart Money survey. In addition to debt, unstable job markets and financial instability are high on the list of marital stressors. Conversely, "the way you and your spouse save, spend, earn and invest can actually be points of bonding and affection if approached in the right way," according to Forbes.com.
- Opposites may attract but the lack of similarity is a breeding ground for conflict. Couples who grew up in dissimilar environments tend to have different beliefs and values, which lead to a higher probability of disagreements. StayHitched.com cautions that "couples will become overwhelmed by their differences if they don't learn how to manage them." Unlike other relationships (parental, professional) in which the authority of one person can be used to settle differences, a marriage consists of two equals who have to learn compromise.
