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9 fun bits of advice about marriage from famous folks
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Have a little fun enjoying the advice of famous people who have learned a few things that can help you have a happy married life. - photo by Gary and Joy Lundberg
All marriage relationships have their own little bits of quirkiness. Quirkiness can be good. We can even learn from each other. It helps us realize that being marriage canand should befun. Here are a few comments on marriage from a few famous folks.

1. Garrison Keillor, the witty host of radio show A Prairie Home Companion, said, The rules for marriage are the same as for a lifeboat. No sudden moves, dont crowd the other person, and keep all disastrous thoughts to yourself. He went on to tell of a miserable speaking trip he had, and after an equally miserable flight home, said how happy he was to see his wife waiting at the curb in her car. He said, It is good to see her. Weve been married ten years, and surely we have problems, but at the moment, I cannot think of a single one. We drive through the streets of St. Paul, and there is no place I would rather be. Misery is the secret to happiness in marriage. Go make yourself miserable and then come home. (Garrison Keeler, Reader's Digest Sept 2015, p. 98)

2. Ray Barone, the beloved comedian from Everybody Loves Raymond, said, Look, you want to know what marriage is really like? Fine. You wake up, she's there. You come back from work, she's there. You fall asleep, she's there. You eat dinner, she's there. You know? I mean, I know that sounds like a bad thing, but it's not." Thats what a good marriage isbeing with someone you can count on.

3. Jay Pritchett, character from the TV hit show Modern Family, made a statement that may ring true for many marriages. He said, "When you're young and dreaming of your family, you think of this perfect familyperfect wife, perfect kids. Look at me, I got this sorry bunch. But, you know, I wouldn't trade them for anything." Dont we all feel just a little bit like that at times?

4. Justin Ricklef, author, husband, and father of five says, Kiss Each Other First. I'm imperfect at this, but I try to kiss Brooke first when I get home from work. Before I kiss our five kids. It's a small thing that points to a much bigger reality. For me to be a great dad, I have to be a great husband, first. Otherwise, we'll become roommates who are collectively raising our kids."

5. Jenny Dewey Rohrich, photographer and blogger, in her article 10 Ways marrying a farmer will change your life gave this wise counsel. Go with the flow. It's not worth the energy to get your panties in a bunch over trivial things. She gave an example of how her farm life is unpredictable. She said, You never know when your husband will suddenly decide that insert farm task here is IMPERATIVE to get done and he's off in a flash when you had plans to spend the day together... Or go on a date... Or just cooked a fantastic Sunday meal.. Whatever the situation may be, just let it go. Go with the flow.

6. Lisa, a blogger on Club 31 Women, who describes herself as the happily-ever-after-wife to Matthew and mom of 8", told of how her husband delights in tossing their many bed pillows at her at the most surprising times and laughs his head off over it. And so do the kids when they hear the shrieking from Mom, which is his whole purpose in doing it. Then theyre all laughing.

She laments, But you you feel sorry for me dont you?"

Good!" she continued. "Because now Ill tell you some of the ways I get my revenge. Ill crawl in next to him and put my icy little feet up against his warm back (hah!). Or the next morning Ill sneak in while hes taking a hot shower and suddenly turn the water to cold (how did he know it was me?). Or drop down a Screaming Monkey from the balcony when hes reading in his favorite armchair."

"Oh yes," she added. "I have my ways.

In other words, married people, spice up your lives with some hilarity. Its healthy for a marriage.

7. Dr. Carlfred Broderick, author, marriage and family therapist and popular speaker, told newlywed husbands to not expect their wives to be like their mothers. He shared a time at the beginning of his marriage when he was sick with a bad cold and went to bed. He said, I waited and waited for my wife to bring me some orange juice, like my mother had done all my life. She never did. I finally called to her and said, 'Why arent you bringing me orange juice? Her reply, 'I didnt even know you wanted any. And why would I when youre perfectly capable of getting it yourself.' His counsel, Dont expect your wife to be your mother. Or to be able to read your mind.

8. Tom Hanks, the actor most people cant resist going to see, was being interviewed by Ellen DeGeneres on her show. Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson had just celebrated their 25th anniversary and Ellen was praising their long-standing marriage. She said, Youre a good couple.

What Tom said next touched the hearts of the audience, even though he wasnt entirely serious.

"I'm not one to suck up to the audience, but the only thing we ever argue about is who loves each other more," the 57-year-old Oscar-winner spilled.

"Awww...so sweet," Ellen responded, with a laugh.

9. Alfred Hitchcock. We conclude with the wise words of this famous mystery author. "The ideal husband understands every word his wife doesnt say."
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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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