By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Date night the secret to a happy and long-lasting marriage
b653bb4f81b8834246d3216de103749ee6ccede1da5883fcd1a971a0135451c5
According to a new study, date night can keep relationships fresh, which make those relationships last longer and stay happy. - photo by Herb Scribner
Yesterday was National Proposal Day. Did you pop the question? Did your significant other say yes?

Whether the answer was yes or no, the fact that you asked probably means youre one step closer to marriage. And if you want to make that marriage last, new research from Indiana State University suggests you keep a date night with your partner.

Those who keep date night alive are more likely to have long-lasting and happier relationships than those who dont embrace date night, according to the study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. This happens because date nights keep relationships fresh, even as the people change as they get older, the study found.

After all, date night forces couples to experience new activities that will help partners grow, the study said.

"If you are supportive of each other and feel like you grow as your partner improves, you gain, Virgil Sheets, the studys leader author, told Mics Kate Hakala.

Relationship expert Aaron Anderson said date night allows couples to forget day-to-day tasks for a night and focus on helping their relationship improve.

"Your identity as a spouse and as a couple often gets lost behind the routine chores and everyday tasks, Anderson wrote in a blog post for Relationships Rx. You forget about things like talking as grown ups, flirting with each other ... so date night is an essential element to put into your routine as a couple because it allows you to focus on your relationship and on each other in adult ways."

On date night, you can observe your loved ones behaviors and see how you can improve or change to better accommodate the partnership, Lois M. Collins reported for Deseret News National back in 2013. Couples who make changes in their relationships based on what they learn about each other on date night will see dramatic results for their relationships in a positive direction, Collins reported.

Joseph Grenny, a New York Times best-selling author who has continued to go on dates with his wife during his 26 years of marriage, agrees.

Behavior is always a team sport, Greeny told the National. Other people play a role in my behavior, influencing, provoking. Its always a social process. Even if youre thinking about career advancement, others play a powerful supporting role (in decisions and process).

And even if youre not married yet, date night can still help you with marriage. The National Marriage Projects W. Bradford Wilcox and Jefferey Dew found that couples who carve out time for date night during the early stages of their relationship often have lower divorce rates once theyre married.

Date nights also makes couples, married or otherwise, have better communication, romance, passion and commitment, the report said. This is because date nights offer couples a chance to talk about personal and relationship problems, which the pair can work through together during or after the date. Working through these problems lessens the stress they have and improves the relationship, the report said.

Given the expressive focus of todays soul-mate marriages, from which couples increasingly expect high levels of intimacy, communication and personal fulfillment, date nights may be particularly valuable to our contemporary cultural moment, the report said. Accordingly, the growing grassroots movement on behalf of date nights may be especially meaningful to todays couples, often intent on cultivating and maintaining an intense emotional or romantic connection with one another.
Sign up for our E-Newsletters
Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program announces grant
Funds earmarked for Share the Road initiatives
Placeholder Image

Grant funding totaling $93,458 has been awarded to the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program (GMSP) by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. The approved funding will be used to increase motorcycle safety awareness and outreach by encouraging all motorists and motorcyclists to Share the Road.

“The need for motorcycle safety programs is greater than ever, and this support from GOHS enables motorcycle safety programs and impaired riding initiatives to reach riders and non-riders alike” said Commissioner Spencer R. Moore. “Thank you GOHS for helping (the Department of Driver Services) and GMSP educate and encourage all Georgia drivers to ‘Share the Road.’”

The grant allows DDS to further develop the Motorcycle Safety Outreach Program by continuing to fund a position to promote state and national safety initiatives. The GMSP outreach coordinator researches, coordinates and helps maintain an adequate presence at industry events, local schools and colleges, regional meetings and festivals to increase awareness of motorcycles on the roadways and provide the most current information on motorcycle safety initiatives.

Visitors to a GMSP event display are also encouraged to sign up for regular newsletters which provide additional safety information, as well as review the motorcycle safety message on other social media platforms.

GMSP regulates motorcycle training for new riders, as well as seasoned riders, who want to learn how to ride a motorcycle legally and safely. The program is based on a continuum of learning and therefore offers three entry points to rider education.

Students participating in the Basic Riders Course do not need specialized motorcycle equipment, as the GMSP provides both a motorcycle and a helmet to class participants. Upon successful completion of the course, participants receive a 90-day license waiver card that exempts them from both the written and on-cycle skills tests needed to obtain a Class M license in the state of Georgia.

Please visit the DDS website at www.dds.georgia.gov for many online services including the convenience of enrolling in a GMSP training class and accessing many licensing services.

Latest Obituaries