Archive for the 'Marriage in the News' Category

The increasing danger of reconnecting with ex lovers online

Posted on April 8, 2013 in categories: Infidelity, Marriage in the News, Marriage Q&A, Naomi and Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Social media is wonderful for keeping in touch with friends and family. At the same time, there is one category of person that you should not be reconnecting with-ex flames. Facebook has made it incredibly easy to indulge in nostalgia and look up people from the past. The Australian magazine The Age recently delved into the near-epidemic of social media-inspired affairs with the article “First love, the second time around.”

Nostalgia drives social media searches

Most people do not reach out to past romantic partners consciously looking for an affair–yet this is what often happens. Old flames hold strong sway over our hearts, triggering powerful and deep-set emotions related to desire, regret and attachment. Relationships that occurred during teenage years seem to be especially powerful. Continue reading ‘The increasing danger of reconnecting with ex lovers online’

Categories: Infidelity, Marriage in the News, Marriage Q&A, Naomi and Uncategorized

Want a good marriage? Don’t call your spouse a “Ball and Chain”

Posted on April 4, 2013 in categories: As seen on FOX News, Marriage in the News, Naomi and Positivity. 2 Comments

Thanks to Stu and Lisa Gray of the Stupendous Marriage Show for turning me on to this topic! Check out their podcast for some smart commentary.

Negative stereotypes about marriage are so pervasive in our society that it is almost impossible to escape them. Name almost any TV show with married couples and you’ll find at least one example of the “ball and chain” metaphor. Marriage is the end of fun. It is the end of sex. It means constant bickering and being tied to someone who you can’t stand for the rest of your life.

Media and popular culture certainly perpetuate these damaging stereotypes, and, at the same time, we are all just as guilty ourselves. Every time we complain about or badmouth our spouses to others, we perpetuate marriage stereotypes and hurt our own marriages. Continue reading ‘Want a good marriage? Don’t call your spouse a “Ball and Chain”’

Categories: As seen on FOX News, Marriage in the News, Naomi and Positivity

Workplace stress is killing our marriages

Posted on March 22, 2013 in categories: Marriage and Kids, Marriage and Your Health, Marriage in the News and Naomi. 0 Comments

America has the highest divorce rate in the world. We also have one of the most stressed out and over-worked workforces in the world. More and more, I believe this is not a coincidence.

Here are some sobering statistics about our dysfunctional relationship with work:

85.8 % of males and 66.5 % of females work over 40 hours/week.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), “Americans work 137 more hours per year than Japanese workers, 260 more hours per year than British workers, and 499 more hours per year than French workers.” Continue reading ‘Workplace stress is killing our marriages’

Categories: Marriage and Kids, Marriage and Your Health, Marriage in the News and Naomi

Wedding proposal fail ends in 4 arrests

Posted on March 12, 2013 in categories: Marriage in the News, Marriage Prep/Engagement, Media Mondays, Naomi and Weddings. 0 Comments

In the history of how to not propose to your girlfriend, this wedding proposal fail wins a gold star for complete ridiculousness:

All was well along the 10 Freeway in West Covina around lunchtime on January 7th. That was, until approximately 200 to 250 motorcyclists stopped simultaneously, blocking all lanes and surrounding a bike with a man and his girlfriend. After his girlfriend–clearly confused–got off the motorcycle, it released a giant puff of pink smoke, and the driver got down on one knee to propose. She said yes, some bikes did wheelies, and they hugged. Continue reading ‘Wedding proposal fail ends in 4 arrests’

Categories: Marriage in the News, Marriage Prep/Engagement, Media Mondays, Naomi and Weddings

Online dating, online marriage?

Posted on March 6, 2013 in categories: Marriage and religion, Marriage in the News, Marriage Prep/Engagement, Romance and Weddings. 0 Comments

It’s not unusual for spouses to have met online these days and the internet has made keeping long-distance love alive infinitely easier. I’ve heard numerous stories of long dating periods done solely online. But what about that next step: getting married digitally, via Skype?

It’s not exactly a movement, but online marriage is happening.

Is it legal to get married online?

Proxy marriage, in which one spouse is absent, is actually a very old practice. Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI were technically married remotely in Marie’s home country of Austria. She later made the trek to France and they had another public ceremony. These days a proxy marriage is rare and mostly occurs among deployed soldiers who are concerned about leaving their significant other without benefits in case of death. In most other cases, U.S. law requires both parties to be physically present in order to legally wed. Continue reading ‘Online dating, online marriage?’

Categories: Marriage and religion, Marriage in the News, Marriage Prep/Engagement, Romance and Weddings

10 Aweseome health benefits of sex

Posted on February 18, 2013 in categories: Intimacy, Just For Fun, Marriage in the News, Naomi and Sex and Marriage. 0 Comments

When you fool around with your honey-bunny, you do more than have a good time: you’re making an investment in your health! Here are ten wonderful health benefits of sex that should inspire you to write yourself a prescription for sweet, sweet lovin’.

1. Lower stress levels and blood pressure

Several studies have suggested that sex can lower your stress levels and your blood pressure.

Participants in a Scottish study logged their sexual activity and were then put in stressful situations such as speaking in public and doing math out loud. When their blood pressure was measured, those who had had intercourse showed better stress response than those who engaged in other sexual behaviors or were abstinent. Continue reading ’10 Aweseome health benefits of sex’

Categories: Intimacy, Just For Fun, Marriage in the News, Naomi and Sex and Marriage

The right age for getting married: is there one?

Posted on January 10, 2013 in categories: Marriage in the News, Naomi and Weddings. 0 Comments

Imagine a typical scene of parents talking to their adult child about getting married. Do you have the vision of the older generation pressuring a young couple to tie the knot? Researchers from Brigham Young University have found that the truth is actually the reverse.

“The assumption has been that the younger generation wants to delay marriage and parents are hassling them about when they would get married,” said Brian Willoughby, the lead author of the study. “We actually found the opposite, that the parental generation is showing the ‘slow down’ mindset more than the young adults.”

The university students polled for the study reported 25-years-old to be around the right age to get married, while their parents tended to advise waiting a few years until their late twenties. In reality, the average age for marriage has been slowly increasing since the 1960s and now is around 27-years-old. The study did not include students from BYU since most are Mormon and tend to have earlier marriage rates than the general population.

Parent’s advice may come from wise instincts. Continue reading ‘The right age for getting married: is there one?’

Categories: Marriage in the News, Naomi and Weddings

The top 5 marriage news stories of 2012

Posted on January 3, 2013 in categories: Marriage in the News. 0 Comments

2012 is over, and what a year it was for marriage news! From findings that could shake the foundation of Christianity, to a royal pregnancy, to new research on happiness, there were many memorable marriage news moments in the past year. Here are my top five.

1. Jesus may have had a wife

Long the subject of conspiracy theorists (and Dan Brown novels), Jesus’ marital status has come to the forefront of religious debate after a Harvard theology professor presented a 300 A.D. Coptic text that references his wife. The Vatican vehemently condemns the paper, and further testing is necessary before Harvard will officially publish any conclusions. All in all, a fascinating debate! We’ll keep you updated on this marriage news as it develops. Read the full article here: Was Jesus Married?

2. Arranged marriages no less happy than marriage by choice.

A UCLA survey study of 58 couples of Indian descent in Los Angeles found that there was no difference in marital happiness between those who had chosen their mates and those whose marriages been arranged. Both sets of couples were equally and extremely happy and content in their marriages, and in love and loyal to their spouses. So if love at first sight isn’t a good predictor of how happy a marriage will be, what is? Strong skills. Read more to find out: Making Decisions. Continue reading ‘The top 5 marriage news stories of 2012′

Categories: Marriage in the News

Sesame Street debuts special program to help children of divorce

Posted on December 17, 2012 in categories: Divorce, Emotional Regulation, Marriage and Kids, Marriage in the News, Naomi, Reviews and Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Although divorce levels have been high and rising for decades, it certainly seems like a milestone that beloved children’s program Sesame Street has finally tackled the issue of divorce and children. In a series of videos available online, character Abby Cadabby discusses her “big feelings” about her parents’ separation and receives support from Gordon and other cast members. Two other segments interview real kids–an 11 and 10-year-old–who are children of divorce.

“We’ve always had a social component where we try to address issues in kids’ lives,” Susan Scheiner of Sesame Workshop told TODAY.com. Divorce is one of the most common major life transitions children experience, with 40% of children living in a divorced household. It is impossible to address the major experiences of growing up without covering it, whether to help children through their parents divorce, or help them develop empathy for their peers. Continue reading ‘Sesame Street debuts special program to help children of divorce’

Categories: Divorce, Emotional Regulation, Marriage and Kids, Marriage in the News, Naomi, Reviews and Uncategorized

Help a friend escape domestic violence

Posted on December 4, 2012 in categories: Anger, Marriage and Your Health, Marriage in the News and Naomi. 0 Comments

Avon and British non-profit Refuge are joining together to launch an awareness drive for domestic violence. An astonishing one in four women will be affected by domestic violence in their lifetime. “Sadly, we all probably know someone this is happening to right now,” explains the narrator in their Youtube video campaign.

Abusive situations are often difficult to get out of since one of the first steps of abuse is to break down the victim’s independence and self-esteem. Support from friends and loved ones can be the ticket to pulling a woman out of a violent relationship. Unfortunately, without the right information you may not pick up on the signs of domestic violence and unknowingly say things that actually discourage her from seeking help.

This beautiful “choose your own adventure”-style video series guides you through how to respond to and support a friend who may be reaching out from such a situation. Scroll below for the cheat sheet. Please watch and share! Continue reading ‘Help a friend escape domestic violence’

Categories: Anger, Marriage and Your Health, Marriage in the News and Naomi