Every new mom can relate to the infamous postpartum days. The daily struggles of breast milk-stained shirts, sleepless nights, and excessive worrying become the new norm. Intrusive thoughts about keeping your baby safe inundate your delirious, sleep-deprived brain to the extent that you start to…

Couples often focus on floral arrangements, rings, and honeymoon plans while preparing for marriage. However, conflict management, finances, and future goals are equally crucial topics discussed in premarital counseling and relationship education. Recent data shows a higher marriage rate than pre-pandemic in the United States…

Cheating, the word no one wants to hear in a romantically committed relationship. Finding out that your romantic partner cheated on you can leave you feeling completely blindsided. You may find yourself feeling paralyzed as questions about what went wrong flood your mind. Many will…

Many of us have a difficult relationship story that we could share. Unfortunately one of the traits of many modern romantic relationships is ambiguity. Many people find that they are riding along with a romantic partner that is less committed and invested in the relationship…

The research literature is becoming increasingly clear about the substantial importance of fathers in the lives of their children. Unfortunately, far too many children in the United States and throughout the world experience father loss. As discussed previously on this blog, father loss can negatively…

Central to life is decision-making. Each day we face a variety of decisions, and some of these decisions can have a substantial impact on our happiness and our relationships. Accompanying these decisions are often pressures that we feel from family, friends, romantic partners, and our…

My proposal was from my childhood dreams! My fiancé proposed in front of Cinderella’s Castle at Walt Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom. It was a moment I will remember and cherish for the rest of my life. However, the journey to my engagement and dream marriage…

On April 18th eight members of our research team attended the Undergraduate Research and Artistry Day (URAD 2018) at Northern Illinois University to present our research on Pre-dating relationships and the ever-increasing age at first marriage. As a research team we specifically explore decision-making in…

In the book, The All-or-Nothing Marriage: How the Best Marriages Work, psychology professor Eli J. Finkel offers an interesting and research based approach on marriage today. This book explores marriage in the modern day, and makes a case for our expectations in marriage being higher than…

Many people hope that one day they will be lucky enough to get married and build their ideal future with a partner that will be with them for the rest of their life. Some recent research indicates that married people are more satisfied with their…

As an assistant professor in Human Development and Family Sciences at Northern Illinois University, I have the unique opportunity to teach upcoming generations about marriage and family relationships. But teaching about these subjects can be demanding, and I often feel like I am at the front…

As emerging adults leave high school and enter college, the idea of commitment and marriage may not seem like a priority. So many emerging adults have this notion that your college years are the time to party, experiment, and just have fun, rather than be…

Although first published in 1994, Fighting for Your Marriage by Howard J. Markman, Scott M. Stanley, and Susan L. Blumberg is just as relevant today as when the book was first released. Back in May, there were eight members of our research team who were…

Are you a weak link or a strong link in your relationships? That’s a rhetorical question that one might ask themselves after reading one of the latest research articles published by Scott Stanley and colleagues. Asymmetrical commitment represents a new—and I might add one of…

On Valentine’s Day a few years ago, I was asked by my wife to go pick up a couple of extra items at our local supermarket for our family Valentine’s dinner. As I entered the store I was a bit startled by the scene before…