As family law attorneys, we see our fair share of marriages end in divorce. We often wonder for the couples that never set foot in our office, what makes a marriage last? Communication and spending time together are key factors in the success of marriages.
When we asked our friends and family what makes a marriage last, they told us a number of tips that are good for marriage or for any relationship:
• Never go to bed angry.
• Say I love you every day.
• Make friends with other couples.
• Be friends with your spouse.
• Support each other.
• Smile.
• Talk things over; don’t let issues or bad feelings linger.
Often we see marriages end because the couple stopped communicating. In some cases, they never talked about key issues like children or money matters before they got married. For a marriage to be successful, it is important to discuss these and other issues and to just have some fun.
According to a study conducted by Happify, here are ways couples make their marriage last:
• Mutual appreciation and respect
• Saying thank you for the big and little things
• Making time for intimacy on a consistent basis
• Do something for each other (cook dinner, buy flowers, etc.)
• Congratulate each other
• …and support each other in good and bad times
• Couples spend at least 5 hours per week or more talking to each other
Overall there is a deep sense that communication is key to a successful marriage. Sadly, we often see the lack of communication carrying over to the divorce settlement process. At Stuart & Blackwell, we work with our clients to ease the stress of divorce and other family law issues.
Contact us today if you or someone you know is in need of a free consultation for a family law matter.