Marriage & Family Changes Lesson
What are your thoughts about engagements, weddings and marriage???
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Intimacy = Deep and meaningful kind of sharing between two people.
Love = Strong feeling of affection and liking for another / Behaviors showing a commitment / Expressions of one’s most
thoughts and feelings
Intimacy - For marriage to sustain itself over the year’s four types of intimacy must be present:
1. Philosophical – sharing beliefs & values ( particular important when raising kids)
2. Psychological – sharing of needs, emotions, weaknesses and strengths, individual success, show support in
disappointment
3. Creative – sharing of efforts to accomplish task and projects, each partner must do his or her share of the work
with a willing attitude
4. Physical – wide range of behaviors that express warmth and closeness, physical affection, marriage partners
should be physically attracted to one another
How to predict success in a marriage…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Age
Reasons for marriage
Length of the relationship and engagement
Similar attitudes about children & child-raising
Similar interests
Committed to sexual fidelity
Good character
Parents success at marriage
Parental attitudes towards the potential marriage partner
Careful selection of the marriage partner
THE THREE C’S = COMMUNICATION – COMMITMENT - COMPROMISE
Most important issues in marriage: Those issues discussed in pre-marital counseling…
1. Sex
2. religion
Marriage Commitment




Because of rising divorce rates, these should be present for marriage to last
Marriage partners must be committed to actions that honor wedding vows
MONOGOMY – being sexually intimate with one partner
The three C’s = COMMUNICATION, COMMITMENT, COMPROMISE
When Marriage Doesn’t Work Out
1. Marital separation: The living apart of two marriage partners
2. Divorce: Legal way to end a marriage; A judge or court decides the terms with respect to property, custody,
support, and assets.
3. Annulment: Legal way to end a marriage in which it was decided that a legally binding marriage actually was not
(commonly through the church)
4. Dissolution: Legal way to end a marriage in which the marriage partners decide the terms with respect to
property, custody, support, and assets
Custody & Children
1. Single custody: one partner keep legal custody of the child/children
2. Custodial parent: Parent with whom child lives with
3. Visitation rights: Guidelines set for the parent who does not have legal custody of child/children to visit the
child/children (sometimes very specific time and locations)
4. Joint custody: both parents keep legal custody of child/children; may live with one parent or alternative living
arrangement; both parents maintain legal rights to make decisions about the health and well-being of the child
Remarriage

Blended Family/Stepfamily
o Consists of marriage partners who one or both had children from previous marriage, could together
have a child
o sources of conflict could arise if rules are not set and consistent, children are not treated fairly in
reference to allowance or finances
COMMUNICATION IS A KEY IN ALL RELATIONSHIPS AND MUST BE MAINTAINED EVEN IF FAMILY CHANGES DO OCCUR!!!
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
What are YOU looking for in a partner?!