Category

In-laws & Family

Nov 15
Love0

Nurturing Family Harmony During the Holidays

By In-laws & Family No Comments

It’s almost Thanksgiving, and for many couples, the holidays bring opportunities to nurture family harmony. It’s common for couples to experience family conflict during the holiday season, especially since there are so many events and gatherings to attend. You’re likely spending more time together than usual. There are also traditions to consider – and traditions tend to carry a lot of emotion for those who hold them dear. However, it’s possible to emphasize harmony over conflict when you gather with family for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year. When you approach family gatherings in a loving way – even difficult…

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Jun 28
Love0

Help! My Parents Dislike My Spouse – But We Live With Them

By In-laws & Family No Comments

Living in a multi-generational home with your parents or in-laws can be both a blessing and a challenge. Sometimes, couples experience seasons in their marriage that require them to share a home with family members. While this can be helpful during transitional periods, it can cause strain long-term–especially if your parents don’t like your spouse. It’s often difficult to share a home with either of your parents. You’re all adults with your own lifestyle, preferences, and rhythms. It can be difficult for two couples to combine their lives this way, particularly when there’s tension in the home. Still, you might…

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May 31
Love0

What to Do When Your Spouse’s Ex Dislikes You

By Conflict, In-laws & Family One Comment

Let’s say your new spouse has been married before–and their ex dislikes you. All you want is a peaceful existence with your new family, but their ex does whatever they can to make your life more difficult. How do you handle that situation? When one or both spouses are married for the second time, it’s not unusual for an ex to be in the picture. That’s especially true if you’re co-parenting children. If your spouse has children with their ex, then naturally, you’ll have to interact with the ex on some level. However, sometimes, an ex-spouse can make your life…

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Dec 21
Love0
Couple celebrating holidays

We Can’t Agree On Who to Visit for the Holidays. What Do We Do?

By In-laws & Family, Marriage No Comments

When you marry, your family grows–sometimes exponentially. An expanding family means that suddenly, you and your spouse might have many more holiday obligations than you can realistically commit to. If this happens, how do you decide who to visit during the holidays? Conflicts over who to visit during the holiday season are common among couples, especially newlyweds who are trying to create balance. Navigating and negotiating holiday visits can be stressful, so it’s important to approach the subject gently. You love one another and want to build new traditions for the family you’re creating. But, you also love celebrating your…

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Nov 30
Love0
My Spouse Cheated - And My In-Laws Knew. What Now?

My Spouse Cheated – And My In-Laws Knew. What Now?

By Conflict, In-laws & Family 2 Comments

Facing the pain of infidelity is one of the hardest things you may ever experience. You’re trying to come to terms with the fact that your spouse was hiding a major secret. That’s bad enough; but what if your in-laws knew about the affair? Unfortunately, many times people may know or suspect that a friend or family member is having an affair. Yet, they may not tell the innocent spouse. There are many reasons for this; maybe they don’t want to get involved, or maybe they’re afraid they’ve made a mistake. But when your family members know–especially your in-laws–that makes…

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May 25
Love0

3 Tips for Coping With Competitive In-Laws

By In-laws & Family One Comment

Family relationships can be complicated. This is especially true when you marry and combine families. If your in-laws happen to be competitive, this adds an entirely new layer of issues to navigate. When you were single, you only had to manage the relationships within your immediate and extended families. But when you married your spouse, you gained their family as well. And that means that you multiplied the number of relationships that you now need to manage and nurture in your life. Many people find it difficult to manage their relationships with in-laws. This is often due to a number…

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Feb 02
Love0

Help! My Spouse Always Sides With My In-Laws. What Can I Do?

By Conflict, In-laws & Family 2 Comments

In most marriages, it’s common to have an occasional clash with in-laws or other extended family members. After all, we’re all human, and it’s inevitable that we will disagree with one another from time to time. But what if these clashes are happening on a regular basis, and your spouse always seems to be on your in-laws’ side? What do you do then? Some relationships naturally have more friction than others, and that can add unnecessary stress to your dynamic over the years. It can also be taxing on your marriage, especially if your spouse defaults to taking his or…

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Dec 08
Love0

Holidays With the In-Laws: Cultivating a Joyful, Peaceful Season With Extended Family

By In-laws & Family One Comment

Have you experienced conflict with your in-laws, particularly during the holidays? If so, you’re not alone. Many couples navigate challenging in-law relationships throughout the year. Oftentimes, challenges peak during the holiday season because there are so many activities, events, and family obligations to fulfill. If you’re looking for some additional guidance on constructively, successfully, and lovingly handling tough or uncomfortable situations with your in-laws this holiday season, we can help. Today, we’ve rounded up some posts from our archive that are packed with tips you can put to work to ease the tension. A note before we begin… Family tension…

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Jul 28
Love0

How to Protect Yourself and Your Relationships With Family Boundaries

By In-laws & Family, Marriage No Comments

Our families of origin have an immense impact on who we become as adults, and on our relationships. Whether friendships or romantic relationships, family imprints onto our personalities and our behavior patterns. If we aren’t able to recognize those influences and set boundaries, then our relationships could suffer. While it’s a good idea to set boundaries regarding what behaviors you will and won’t accept from family members, you also need boundaries to protect yourself from the unspoken behavior patterns you picked up from childhood. Let’s look at a few ways your family can influence you, and what to do about…

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Jun 30
Love0

Help! Our Parents Don’t Approve of Our Engagement

By Engagement, In-laws & Family 4 Comments

Failing to get our parents’ approval of the person we love and plan to marry is one of the most painful circumstances couples face. Parents sometimes disapprove of engagement for a number of reasons, and each situation is entirely unique to the couple and their family dynamics. Regardless of the circumstances or the parents’ reasoning, this scenario is always difficult to navigate. If you’re an engaged couple facing criticism or disapproval from either or both sets of parents, there are a few things you can do to gain clarity during this season. Let’s take a look. 1. Give them time….

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