7 Mistakes Young Newlyweds Make
As a young newlywed, you head into marriage full of passion, commitment and a rosy glow. As well you should! To keep the glow rosy, avoid these seven common mistakes that young newlywed couples often make!
1. Trying to have the standard of living you enjoyed at your parent’s. Many young couples forget to factor in the 20-30 years it took their parents to evolve into their current standard of living. You have to pay your dues – which sometimes means living lean until you can save up to afford the necessities, then the extras, that you want. Just because you qualify for a credit card, doesn’t mean you should use it. Financing electronics, furniture, and vacations is shortsighted. Sure, you enjoy them immediately, but the stress of mounting bills and paying for things that no longer exist can take a major toll on a marriage. You also rob yourselves of the memories that come with setting goals and working together to achieve them.
2. Running home to mama – or the equivalent. It’s like “mind your own business” in reverse. When you’re having a spat, it’s tempting to run to someone who will support your viewpoint. Which means painting the picture for them of how horrible and unfair your new spouse (the one who was wonderful yesterday) really is. They might even be offended on your behalf at how unreasonable your mate has been. And then you go home and make up and remember that your spouse is indeed the wonderful person you thought they were. But family member/friend still has the ugly picture of them in their head – the one you put there.
3. Assuming there is a “right way.” Which, of course, is synonymous with “my way.” What tier of the dishwasher should be loaded first, which direction the toilet paper unrolls, and what brand of tomato soup should be purchased are preferences. Bottom tier, over the top, and Campbell’s may be strong preferences, but it still doesn’t make them “right.” It’s amazing how such little differences can spark major spats. If you have told your mate 100 times to put the paper on the roll the “right” way – I wouldn’t bother with 101. They’ve already heard you. They don’t care. Move on. Or live in frustration and earn the label of “nag.”
4. Assuming you know your mate inside-out. You know nothing. At least that’s how it will feel when you look back from twenty years down the road. Keep learning about the other by asking their opinion on issues, trying new things together and checking out new places. Make getting to know each other a life-long lesson.
5. Investing too much time in the soulmate syndrome. While it is lovely to be kindred spirits, you both need to continue to grow and develop your individual interests. As you develop new skills and enjoy different experiences as an individual, it enriches you personally and allows you to bring something new to the marriage.
6. Not cultivating a basic interest in the other’s passion. Often, during the passion of courtship, individual passions get put on a back burner while the relationship hits front and center. The painter may have put up the easel for a while, the tennis player may have limited play dates to be more available for love dates. As the marriage settles in, the passions once again emerge as priorities. Don’t take it personally – you are not loved less because time is spent on interests that existed in your mate’s life before your romance. You don’t have to pretend you love it as much as your mate does, but educate yourself (or allow yourself to be educated) to the point where your mate can share highlights of progress made. And you can respond with sincere interest and encouragement.
7. Maintaining the single social scene. There’s nothing wrong with maintaining friendships with your single friends after marriage. You just have to do it from a married person’s perspective. If part of your social interaction was going to places with the intent to flirt, dance, and meet new members of the opposite sex, you have to forgo that part of the social activities. You know there’s not an “innocent” way to do any of those things, right? Cultivating couple friends for you and your spouse to socialize with is just as important as hanging out with your single friends in a way that honors your marriage.
Most of the mistakes can be avoided by simply putting yourself in your mate”s shoes before engaging in any of the behaviors discussed here.
- Would it be OK with you if your spouse shared details of the spat you had with his/her family or friends?
- Would it be OK with you if your spouse insisted you do something the way they wanted it done – and wanted you to publicly acknowledge that is, indeed, the “right” way?
- Do you believe there is nothing more your spouse could learn about you?
- Would you think it reasonable if your spouse wanted to do all activities with you and for you to do only the activities you both shared an interest in?
- How would you feel if you were trying to share your excitement with your mate about something special that happened regarding that interest for which you are passionate, and their words or body language made it clear they had no clue what you were talking about?
- Would you be comfortable with your spouse hanging out with single friends in an environment that would include flirting, dancing or meeting new members of the opposite gender just for the fun of it?