Marriage – the facts you need to know - 26
· You need to know that having fun is as important as sharing responsibilities.
· You need to know the more time you dwell on how wonderful your marriage is, the more wonderful it will become.
· You need to know that writing love notes works as well now as it did twenty years ago when you were dating.
· You need to know how important it is to smile at each other. It's far superior to frowning when you make eye contact.
· You need to know to dance in the kitchen while the pasta boils.
· You need to know you can still go on cheap dates. The point is being together.
· You need to know you can do something new without leaving the house. Like spend the night in another bedroom.
· You need to know to not put on the oldest, rattiest things you own every night when you get home.
· You need to know there are few aphrodisiacs in the world more powerful than just listening.
· You need to know to spend time hugging each other in bed in the mornings. It sets a nice tone for the day.
· You need to know the relationship with your children can never be more important than your marriage.
· You need to know experts suggest waiting a year or two before having kids so the two of you can grow in your relationship.
· You need to know having children is actually more life changing than getting married.
· You need to know she'll want to have a deep meaningful discussion about whether Brook is a boy's name or a girl's name. With about two minutes to go in a tight game.
· You need to know a child won't save your marriage. That's a lot of responsibility to put on a three-month-old.
· You need to know that even if he dresses the kids for school, packs the lunchboxes, and writes the thank-you notes, she will always feel like she's the one being judged by the world.
· You need to know fathers need to take parental leave as much as moms do.
· You need to know children can put a marriage at risk. The pressure, the fears, the finances, the late nights— these aren't romance enhancers.
· You need to know it's easy for new moms to get so into being a mom they forget their husbands want to be part of the baby's life too.
· You need to know that, in spite of best-laid plans, the burden of childcare falls primarily on the parent who can breastfeed.
