It's a challenge to cultivate the marriage when kids are in the mix from the start. Take the time to make the relationship strong.
Talking Points:
- If the marriage isn’t strong, then the family can’t be strong. It may seem selfish to prioritize the marriage, but it’s in the best interest of your kids for you to build a good foundation that can withstand the stresses that come with blending families.
- Make a commitment to discuss everything with total honesty. You need to be totally open about your fears and concerns and commit to working through each issue as they come.
- Avoid bringing your previous baggage into this marriage. Avoid making assumptions about your spouse’s motives and be honest when you feel hurt or betrayed in some way.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- On a scale from 1-10, how are you doing at prioritizing the marriage? How can you improve?
- Why does your marriage need to be a priority for the sake of the family?
- What are some of the issues you’ve been dealing with so far? Are you able to speak honestly about them? Explain.
- Evaluate yourself. Have you allowed previous baggage to affect this relationship? Explain.
- Evaluate your spouse. Have they allowed previous baggage to affect this relationship? Explain.
- What are some productive things you can do to guard against this from happening in the future?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
