Protecting your Marriage

Parent & Family Support


Protecting your Marriage

When you married, you had a dream of how life would be together.  When you have a child with special needs or a chronic medical condition, your life can become very different than you had imagined it would be. You must find a new balance.Your family’s finances and future plans will be affected. Your social life and recreational opportunities will be  affected. Your self-esteem, sexuality, and spirituality may be affected. You may be a different kind of parent than you were before.  All of these changes affect your marital relationship. But you can grow together and have a stronger bond than ever!

Tips for a Strong Marriage 

Schedule Time Together Every Day. Even if it is just 10 minutes, make it face-to-face and undivided attention time.

Communicate. Talk openly about problems when they happen but also tell each other something good every day.

Listen. You may be tired and feel unappreciated, but your partner may have unmet needs as well. Listen to all concerns and work on them together.

Keep your Commitment to Love your Partner. Affirm one another.

Be Patient.

Learn All you Can, Together. Be a team!

Sort out What is Really Important to Both of You and What is Not as Important. If you have only so much time, do the important things first.

Celebrate Milestones!

Laugh and Have Fun Together. Life may be difficult but having fun together “recreates” us.

Respect One Another.

Get Help When you Need it. Make it a primary goal to develop a support system.

Find the Balance between Dependence and Independence.   

Check out these additional resources on building a healthy relationships. 

Jonah and the Whale Foundation   

Two of Us