Living Life - Marriage and Family

 So, after all of this learning, are you still scared of getting married and starting a family? I know that there will probably always be fear. The unknown is scary. Still, there might be a lot of "What if's" in your head. Let's talk about the "what if's" by addressing divorce. That has been a fear of mine. Would I choose the wrong spouse, different stressors like finances, incompatibility, tragedy etc.? Would this all just lead to a divorce, leaving me sad and helpless? After all, most marriages end in divorce now! I know, morbid. Actually, divorce has lessened over the years significantly, and that whole "50% of marriages end in divorce" was incorrect the whole time! "Today, about 40% of marriages are projected to end in divorce, and most divorces are initiated by women. These stats are better than they used to be, but they also suggest that marriage is still riskier than many would like. But, even here, the statistics need not leave us ...

 Let's talk about parenting. It seems to me that kids are very sensitive. You can mold them to be who they will become for the rest of their lives. They are very impressionable. One fear of mine is that I won't be a good parent. I am sure that is a fear for a lot of people. Some might wonder, "how can I raise my kids to be self-reliant?" "What is the most important thing to teach kids to set them up for the future?" "What if I mess up? Then what?" All valid questions, and I know there are many more. My personal question would be, "what are aspects of parenting that I can focus on is that my kids turn out the best they can be?" I want you to know that your parenting will not be perfect. Parenting just isn't ever perfect. We are human and make mistakes. As well as our efforts to teach our kids, they also have the agency to follow your guidance or go their own way. They need to figure out their own lives and experience their own conseque...

Two things that can affect life and marriage in a major way are Fathers and Finances. First I am going to start with fathers. Fathers are really important. My father has influenced my life extremely, and I am so grateful for him. He has been a guide to me throughout my life. Fathers play a vital role in a child's development, starting from infancy. Studies show that infants can form strong attachments to both parents from birth, and father involvement leads to improved health outcomes like better weight gain in premature babies and higher breastfeeding rates. Isn't that cool? Fathers who also use authoritative parenting—balancing love with clear expectations—help their children develop better emotional, social, and behavioral skills. I have definitely seen this in my life. Sure, it's not fun when you get in trouble and your dad has to raise his voice a little, but we can see that this impacts children a lot. The positive influence of a father continues as children grow. Kid...