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Parenting is the most time-consuming role you will take on. To maintain a happy marriage in the midst of busy parenting takes commitment on both sides. There are steps you can take to maintain a happy marriage, which in turn will promote a happy family.

Communication is the key to any relationship. If you and your partner are going to maintain a connection, you need to talk to each other. There are the basic every day communications that are important. Asking each other about their day shows that you do care. Someone can have a good day or a bad day and it is important for both spouses to understand the situation. Discussions about finances, the children, and the home are important. Although discussing situations like finances in front of the children is not always a good idea, family dinner discussions are a great way to keep everyone involved in the happenings of each other's lives.

However, communication is not just about the day to day. There is a whole other level to communication that is just as important. Share your interests, your feelings about something that you are watching or reading and even your hopes and dreams. When you are talking, really listen to what each other is saying, and ask questions. A great time for these more personal conversations is after you have put the children to bed. This is a great time to really focus on each other.

Another key to success in a happy marriage is date night. Have a date night as often as you can. It may only be once a month, or you may decide twice a month is better. Either way, make it something special and memorable. If dinner and a movie is all you have time for, then hold hands like teenagers and enjoy yourselves. Weather permitting, you can plan an afternoon date hiking or riding bikes. Whatever you choose for your date night, it is one-on-one time for you and your spouse to reconnect. By connecting regularly, you are keeping the love fresh. This allows you to be a more loving parent because there will be less stress.

While taking the time to be together is important, have a little "me" time is just as important. A healthy happy relationship thrives when everyone can pursue their own interests as well. If you just need a bubble bath and a good book, work it out so that you get that hour to yourself. A great way to get your personal time is to work out a schedule. With seven evenings in a week, you and your spouse could each have an evening to enjoy your hobbies. This still leaves five other days in the week to bring the family together or have that date night.

Flexibility is an added bonus in a relationship. A schedule is a good map of how things are expected to go. It makes it easy to know what you need to be doing. However, sometimes it rains and little Johnny's soccer practice is cancelled. Flexibility allows you to still accomplish items on your schedule; it may just be a different day. Things do not always go as planned, so a little flexibility helps keep some stress out of your relationship.

Parenting and marriage do not come with instruction manuals. When you add busy parenting into a relationship, it can be easy to lose sight of your marriage and drift apart. You do not want to forget why you got married in the first place. As you expand your family, remember why you got married. You can be one step ahead of the game just by keeping the lines of communication open, making time for each other, and making time for yourselves, and keeping a little flexibility to hold it all together. It promotes a healthy marriage and a healthy family because your children see you working together and loving each other.

Learn more about this author, Becky Robbins.
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