Marital Satisfaction and Children (L6)

I learned so much this week! On their wedding day, a couple's satisfaction is at a high point. That satisfaction grows from that point for a while. We often call this the "honeymoon stage." It reaches a peak and then drops dramatically after a huge event that is often thought of as extremely positive: the birth of their first child. There is a decline in satisfaction for a while and then it levels off until the birth of their second child. This pattern continues until their first child leaves the house. At this point, their satisfaction begins to increase. When I first heard this, I was sad and disappointed. I always thought that having children would INCREASE satisfaction. I quickly learned that it CAN. There is hope! We talked about a variety of ways to help a couple grow stronger and closer together during this period of time. Being prepared for the situation is very important and can help this be a positive transition. For example, the mother needs to help her husband feel involved. Let him feel the baby kick, tell him what's happening, take him to the doctors appointments if possible. When the baby comes, there is a period of time where the woman releases hormones that help her attach to the people around her. We talked about the controversial topic of whether or not to have grandma in there with them. After long discussions, I realized it might not be such a good idea. Each person has their own opinion, but to me, this should be a time for the couple to grow closer together with their little family. This helps set those boundaries between them and their extended family.