Human Development and Family Science

Money plays a major role in every marriage, and each partner handles money differently, which can lead to emotionally-charged disagreements. In this publication, we describe the impact money decisions can have on a marriage and offer suggestions on how to communicate with your spouse about money.

After the “honeymoon phase,” many couples find that marriage is not exactly what they envisioned, possibly leaving them less than satisfied with their relationship. In this publication, we describe the normalcy of this feeling, acknowledge that adjustment is necessary and offer strategies for building a strong marriage.

Remarried couples are different from first-marriage couples in that they bring different experiences to the marriage. These experiences can lead to unique difficulties. In this publication, we describe the characteristics of a successful remarriage and encourage communication and commitment.

After divorce, many parents have difficulty establishing the type of relationship they will have in order to co-parent their child or children. In this publication, we describe the different types of co-parent relationships that can be established and offer suggestions on how to interact with a former spouse to maintain a relationship beneficial to raising a healthy child.

Anger is an emotion that everyone feels from time to time, but mismanaging this emotion can lead to hurt and difficulty in the marriage. In this publication, we describe some ways that anger is not handled well, and how to better manage and express anger so that the problem can be resolved without damage to the marriage.

Setting goals in a marriage can lead to expectations being met for both partners and for more marital satisfaction. In this publication, we describe the importance of setting goals and give some suggestions on how to set, evaluate, and reach them.

When the last child leaves home, many couples experience difficulties to this new life adjustment. In this publication, we offer suggestions on how to identify and describe these problems as a couple and move into the “second half” of marriage.

Taking the time to really get to know your partner can help build a strong relational foundation so that when significant life changes occur, the marriage can continue to stay strong. In this publication, we explain the importance of knowing your partner well and steps you can take to get to know each other better.