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6 small things that will ensure your spouse stays in love with you
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Who says marriage has to be hard? Here are six simple things you can do every day to keep your romance alive. - photo by Courtnie Erickson
Marriage is no piece of cake. It requires a lot of work and compromise from both you and your spouse. It isnt something you put a lot of effort into all at once and then expect a lifetime of bliss. In fact, it is quite the opposite.

To have a successful marriage, you must work at it every single day; however, there's no need to overdo things, either. Here are six small things you can do daily that will keep the spark alive.

Daily messages

Letting your spouse know you are thinking of him throughout the day is simple, but it demonstrates a great deal. A quick phone call, a text, a Facebook message, even an email can let your spouse know that you are thinking of him and that you miss him. If your spouse has a big presentation or meeting, send him a text beforehand letting him know you believe in him. Just a quick message can help turn a terrible day around and make your sweetheart excited to come home to you.

Regular bedtimes

Setting a bedtime for you and your spouse can be a difficult task, but it reaps many benefits. Set a time each night when you and your spouse go to bed together. When in bed, turn off all electronics, put away the books, snuggle and talk without any interruptions. You will be surprised at how close you become and how deep your conversations get.

Daily expectations

When you and your spouse have different expectations, tension, stress, anger and resentment easily surface. With all the hustle and bustle of your weekly schedule, it is difficult to have your expectations met, but when one spouse doesnt live up to the expectations of the other, there are negative consequences.

My husband and I have found that the best way to avoid letting our busy lives get in the way of our expectations is to sit down and discuss each upcoming week. Every Sunday, we review our weekly schedules and discuss certain tasks and responsibilities that need to be accomplished along with who will handle each one. For example, I might ask my husband to arrange his schedule so he can help me carpool Tuesday morning, and he might ask me to go grocery shopping on Thursday so he has something to take to his work potluck on Friday. Knowing what expectations your spouse has for you each day will make it easier to manage your schedule and keep your relationship in harmony.

Stand side-by-side

There is a lot of opposition in this world, and you and your spouse will undoubtedly face criticism and unfair judgements. These comments can come from bosses, strangers, friends and even family members. When something negative is said about your spouse, show support. We all make mistakes, and even though you may not agree 100 percent with something your spouse did, do not engage in any bashing session. Keep all negative thoughts and comments about your spouse to yourself, and discuss those feelings with your spouse no one else.

Daily gratitude

In a healthy marriage, you and your spouse should behave like lovers, not roommates. You should want to do tasks for your spouse without feeling burdened. When your spouse does something kind for you, you should show your appreciation and gratitude. Tell her thank you throughout the entire day, even for small things she does around the house or with your children. A small thank you can go a long way in helping both you and your spouse develop a strong desire to work as a team.

Compliments/praise

You should be your spouses biggest fan, and he should know that. Tell your spouse regularly that you are proud of his accomplishments, whether in work, school or even with the family. Dont let a day go by that you dont compliment your spouse on his talents, his accomplishments, his appearance and more. Let him know how you feel about him.

Staying in love is easier said than done, but putting a little bit of effort into your relationship each day as these six small things suggest will keep that spark alive, allowing you to enjoy your own happily ever after.
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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