Modeling Marriage

This was from today's edition of Home School Heartbeat from HSLDA.  You can listen to it online here.

Modeling Marriage


Is it possible that spending less time with your children could make you a better parent? If that time is invested in making a strong marriage, it might! Learn more today on Home School Heartbeat, with host Mike Farris.

Mike Farris:

In 1975, when Vickie and I became parents, there were some voices that we heard that seemed to suggest that we should adopt a child-centered focus for our family. Children come first.

It’s right to stress the incredibly high value of children, but children do not take priority over your marriage. Why? You are training your sons to be good husbands and your daughters to be good wives.

It is not taking time away from the ultimate goal for your children when you spend time alone as husband and wife. That’s very quality time for the benefit of your children. First, you’re modeling marriage for your children. If you have a lousy marriage, your children will learn from you how to have a lousy marriage. Model a good marriage for the benefit of your children.

And you are also building the strength you need for your own life. Parenting alone is a very challenging thing. There may be single parents listening, and God bless you and give you lots of strength, but I think single parents would be the first to say, it’s best when you have an intact, two-parent family: Mom and Dad, loving each other and raising kids.

I haven't done everything right as a parent, but Vickie and I have a very strong marriage, and I think that in and of itself has made a huge difference in our kids.

Finally, your marriage will remain when your children are grown and gone. It needs to be vibrant for your own sake.

I’m Mike Farris.