Family priorities often must come second to military orders. When one spouse returns from deployment and begins the homecoming process, the couple may feel as if they are on an emotional rollercoaster. They may experience intense anticipation, anxiety, restlessness, impatience, and excitement. It is also typical to feel resentment, disappointment, frustration, and grief over losses of freedom or independence. It may take the couple several months to find a healthy balance in their relationship again after the deployment. Furthermore, it is common for military couples to deal with Post-…
Adoption professionals and those in the marriage and relationship education (MRE) field are becoming more aware of the special issues adoptive couples face in their marriages. Practitioners from both disciplines may want to consider ways to bridge these two fields together by offering MRE classes in adoptive-parent training at both public and private adoption agencies or by offering them through post-adoption services. Those who are working with couples may be unaware of how much a marriage can be impacted by the special needs of adopted children. This Tip Sheet highlights common issues…
This brief begins by explaining the federal requirement for land-grant universities to translate university research into public non-credit, tax-supported educational programs and resources, and the mission of the Cooperative Extension System (CES) to advance knowledge and educate citizens in promoting agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and community and economic development. Efforts by CES to support healthy relationships through Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Youth Development are described, as well as ways that CES and Marriage and Relationship Education…
This Tip Sheet is for relationship education service providers. It provides information on how to successfully introduce and incorporate marriage and relationship education (MRE) program into a company's EAP. An EAP is a logical partner for MRE programs. EAPs have an established delivery mechanism for reaching employers and their employees. However, most EAPs are not looking for this type of service. EAPs likely will not know about the impact of relational wellness in the workplace. It will be your job to educate them in this area and to recommend your services to them. This tip sheet will…
Marriage, although it is considered a private matter in many respects, is a public health issue. There is a body of evidence that positively links marriage with physical and mental health. Furthermore, research suggests that child well-being is improved when the child's parents are married. In recent years, social service providers across the U.S. have begun offering relationship education services to young single people and couples to strengthen their relationships and teach skills that foster healthy relationships. There are opportunities for social service organizations to continue this…
It may seem a difficult task to engage men in marriage and relationship education (MRE) classes. While women may be more willing to talk freely about their relationships in any setting, men may need a little more coaxing. In couple-based services, there are ways to facilitate an open discussion that will help men reveal their thoughts and even their feelings toward children, relationships and marriage. This Tip Sheet provides a few helpful suggestions to engage men in discussions and activities in MRE classes. (Author abstract modified)
This brief defines forgiveness and then explains the difficulties facilitators may encounter when teaching forgiveness in marriage and relationship (MRE) education classes. Strategies that can be shared with couples are listed and include: reflect on your mutual behaviors during the day and focus on actions that are life-giving and kind, spend little time reflecting on mistakes, learn to live without perfection, expect some pain in life, understand that there is little value in holding grudges, slow down the pace of making judgments, focus on your abilities, achievements, and goals as a…
Designed for marriage practitioners, this brief explains the influence of maturity on a person's ability to truly commit to a relationship for life and understand that commitment implies giving up all other partner choices. The impact of maturity on the ability to forgive, to take personal responsibility, and to communicate effectively is also discussed, and challenges facilitators of marriage and relationship education classes face in teaching maturity are addressed. Facilitators are urged to identify those who may need to work on maturity more than others, set goals with these individuals…
Designed for marriage practitioners, this brief explains the importance of trust in relationships and offers strategies for teaching the value of trust to couples. The keys to trust are explained and include investing time in each other, reliability, understanding, sacrifice, and thankfulness.
Marriage and relationship education (MRE), HeadStart and Early Head Start are all educationalprograms that help strengthen families and promotechild well-being. Recognizing this, the National HeadStart Association and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) created a Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MOU) in 2008 to provide a framework for collaboration between ACF Healthy Marriage/Responsible Fatherhood Initiatives and Head Start to provide interested families with MRE services. This Tip Sheet will provide a brief overview of how the two programs, working together, can benefit families…
