Divorce: A New Understanding

I'm so glad we talked about this in class this past week.  I feel like I never really understood before how divorced families work.  When you take different people and families and join them together, you're not just making a new family.  You're combining everyone's traditions, hopes, expectations, parenting styles, insecurities, and whatever else into one place.  There are a lot of things that take a lot of time to work through!!  However, having open, honest communication is helpful in working through many of these problems.  You can't make assumptions about the other person while looking through your lens because the other person is making decisions by looking through a completely different lens.  Only by communicating and working together to fulfill your roles and expectations can you look through the pair of glasses together.

Emotional Intimacy

Ok, I came across this link today, and it's absolutely amazing.  Dr. Athena Staik wrote the article, and she's a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.  Please follow this link and read the article:

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/relationships/2012/07/12-warning-signs-that-its-emotional-infidelity-and-not-just-friendship/

It's so important for us to be emotionally close to our spouse and no one else!!  Knowing these warning signs will help people not get into dangerous situations and behaviors unintentionally.  Being informed is the first step to prevention.

Parenting

I loved discussing parenting in class last week.  I guess I never really thought about it, but parenting is more than just raising kids.  It's guiding them, helping them recognize their potential, and leading them (to a point) back to our Father in Heaven.  Essentially, it's helping them "survive and thrive" (Michael Popkin) in this world and society.  In order to do this, we need to be the best people we can possibly be.  Without good examples and role models, kids will only grow up with mixed messages and confused about their place in this crazy world.  With help from the Lord and from the many angels He places in our lives, we can do all things, even parenting.