I have come to the
conclusion that the internet is short on blogs specifically about
strengthening marriage while raising children. However, there are
tons of blogs about strengthening marriage in general, and most of
them have excellent information.
I wanted to
highlight a fantastic blog I found with an abundance of interesting
and helpful tips on improving marriage. I found myself wishing I had
hours on end to absorb the information offered.
The blog is called
Laura's Strengthening Marriage Blog, and it's written by Laura M.
Brotherson. She has a long list of accomplishments that make her
well qualified to write about marriage. She has a M.S. in Marriage
Family Therapy and has trained at the Institute for Sexual Wholeness
as a sex therapist. She is a Certified Family Life Educator, a show
host, and the author of several books--the most popular: And They
Were Not Ashamed.
Her blog is for
anyone who wants to strengthen their marriage, but most (if not all)
of the information is applicable for couples who are raising
children. One of my favorite posts is a picture of a couple kissing
in the kitchen. The caption reads: Be Great Parents. Gross Out Your
Kids. The post is about how showing affection for each other creates
a secure environment for your children. (Even though children pretend
to be disgusted by the smoochy-smoochy most of the time!)
She has a plethora
of information on the blog, presented in many various forms. I'm
talking blog posts, podcasts, articles, a question and answer
section, an open forum, connecting websites, and news about marriage
strengthening events. Wow! Virtually anything a couple would want
to know about helping their marriage is available in this blog.
A few drawbacks:
*She doesn't post
very often, just a few times a month. However, she does have weekly
podcasts.
The blog is tilted
toward religious couples. Non-religious couples would probably not
be interested in this blog.
*Laura more heavily
addresses sexual concerns than other issues. Couples who have a
healthy sexual relationship but struggle in other areas may not be
fulfilled by this blog.
*The information on
the blog aligns with research, but research itself is rarely on the
blog. Laura does not use research or theories to present
information. However, she has a wealth of knowledge and experience,
so the information still seems sound.
*Her layout and
design stink. The blog is not at all attractive, and it's hard to
navigate her sight. There is so much information, and so many
different aspects to her website, it's easy to get lost. BUT, her
information is so great, it's worth a little extra effort to find
what you're looking for.
Laura's
Strengthening Marriage Blog is well written and entertaining, so
readers hardly notice they are receiving valuable instruction!
Couples can find many helpful tips and tricks to improve their
quality of marriage on this blog. As an added possibility, Laura
hosts a yearly couples cruise that focuses on enhancing love and
communication in marriages! Doesn't that sound like so much fun?
LAURA'S STRENGTHENING MARRIAGE BLOG: strengtheningmarriage.com/blog/
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What a great way to help parents. I think that working on strengthen their marriage is a great idea. Shirley Whitesel
You make a very good point that your blog is unique - your group should seriously think about keeping it up longer term.
And I like the ideas you highlighted for strengthening marriages.