Sunday, July 8, 2007

Impact on the children

s.t.f.t.c. asked about ways to minimize arguing, and another commenter mentioned discussing with her daughter what to look for in a marriage partner.

What are ways that women in difficult situations can a) encourage a positive atmosphere in the home to help the children grow up emotionally healthy b) overcome an unhealthy marriage model, in order to choose wisely when the time comes? and c) accomplish this while allowing the children to maintain respect for their own father?

2 comments:

uwsider said...

The bottom line in a situation like this is that the kids be okay. I have a teenaged girl and like most kids her age, she is trying to figure out "life." We talk about marriage issues a lot and while I am very careful not to be critical of her father as a person, I have pointed out conspicuous areas within the marriage that are not what they should be. I tell her that she needs to want more for herself. I point to positive things in marriages that she knows well -- for example her older siblings -- and tell her why these are things she should emulate. She seems to get it, but in the end all we can REALLY do is pray....

mother in israel said...

uwsider--thanks for sharing. I think that the type of open communication you describe can make up for a lot of unpleasant issues within a family.