Newly Weds

There are many challenges to the first few years of marriage. The big one is traditions. It is hard to start making your own traditions, deciding which traditions to go with, and deciding which families to see during the holidays. It is hard to decide which family and or whether you'll stay and develop your own traditions. It is also hard to decide which traditions to create especially if both spouses come from a different cultural background. It is hard for spouses to get used to their new roles and responsibilities. Money is often a big thing couples disagree on. Getting used to living with each other and sharing everything can be difficult for some people. The sleeping arrangements can be a hard thing to get used to. In-laws can be hard to deal with, but it takes a lot of patience and it can be a way to solve problems together as a couple. Dividing responsibilities is one thing that couples have to learn in the the first few months of marriage. We also learned in class that when couples have children, their marital satisfaction goes down with each one. Having children can cause the parents to grow more distant because of many factors, but couples can mostly avoid this if they stay close, take time for one another, talk about their feelings, and work out problems together.