7 Ways To Effectively Listen To Your Spouse

Being a gold medal listener to your spouse is one of the best ways to help your partner feel loved, valued, and important.

  1.  Begin with your EYES. Efficient listening always requires that you almost stare into your spouse’s eyes.

  2. PLAN TIME on a daily basis to attentively listen to your partner for even five minutes.

  3. Have NO DISTRACTIONS. The cell phone, tablet, newspaper, or other outside elements will be a block to active listening.

  4. ASK QUESTIONS. Asking back-to-back questions almost forces you to be a successful listener.

  5. AVOID the Cs – Don’t Correct, Criticize, Complain, or Condemn. This may be one of the biggest challenges to being a competent listener.  Having a “C Attitude” produces a focus on yourself rather than your partner.

  6. WATCH YOUR NON-VERBALS. Your tone of voice, facial expression, and body language will either build-up or break down your listening skills.

  7. WORK HARD AT BEING A CAPABLE LISTENER. Being a caring listener actually takes practice on a daily basis.

Please follow me on Facebook and “Like” and “Share” when you read a post that is beneficial so others may receive the post.  If you enjoyed reading this post you may enjoy reading other posts found on the website, www.DrRandallSchroeder.com, under “PRACTICAL WISDOM for Marriage, Parenting, and Life.”

In addition, I now have six marriage videos on my YouTube Channel, “Dr. Randall Schroeder.” Thank you!

7 Signs You Are A Healthy Spouse

On Wednesdays I post a practical wisdom thought or suggestion on Marriage, Parenting, or Life. No spouse is perfect but evaluating these 7 signs can make a positive difference in marital happiness.

  1. You are better in every area of your marriage than the day you got married. You have a strong desire to improve and grow both as a person and a spouse on a daily basis.

  2. You are a giver. You give compliments, physical affection, offer encouragement, and very simply, say and do things often that value your spouse.

  3. You are agreeable and cooperative. You are easy to get along with, meaning, you are flexible, go with the flow, and not a control fanatic with decisions.

  4. You don’t “Have To.” You avoid “Having To”: compulsively shop; gamble; excessively drink alcohol; demonstrate irrational anger; compulsively use technology; etc.

  5. You are a girlfriend/boyfriend to your spouse every day. You never take your spouse for granted by continually winning your partner’s heart through positive words and actions.

  6. You plan time with your spouse. You don’t let your time together happen by chance but you schedule time daily and weekly with your partner.

  7. You are an apologizer and forgiver. You are willingly to admit when you make a mistake as well as forgive when your spouse apologizes to you.

TODAY:  Discuss with your spouse these 7 signs to assess where both of you desire improvement. 

Please follow me on Facebook and “Like” and “Share” when you read a post that is beneficial so others may receive the post.  If you enjoyed reading this post you may enjoy reading other posts found on the website, www.DrRandallSchroeder.com, under “PRACTICAL WISDOM for Marriage, Parenting, and Life.”

In addition, I now have six marriage videos on my YouTube Channel, “Dr. Randall Schroeder.” Thank you!

 

3 Wonderful Marriage Vows

On Wednesdays I post a practical wisdom thought or suggestion on Marriage, Parenting, or Life. Recently, my wife and I attended the wedding of our friends’ daughter.  Both the bride and groom read beautiful personal vows to each other. While expressing their meaningful commitment before all in attendance, their tears indicated they truly believed what they shared.

Marital complacency is often what starts the slippery slope to unhappiness, and sadly, even divorce at times.  To overcome complacency and never take one’s spouse for granted, I think every couple would do well to communicate three additional vows at the wedding ceremony and even regularly throughout the marriage.

Share with your spouse these three vows:  1) Today, I will avoid complacency in every area of our marriage; 2) Today, I will not take you for granted; and 3) Today, I will be a girlfriend/boyfriend to you in order to help you feel valued just like before our wedding day.

Please follow me on Facebook and “Like” and “Share” when you read a post that is beneficial so others may receive the post.  If you enjoyed reading this post you may enjoy reading other posts found on the website, www.DrRandallSchroeder.com, under “PRACTICAL WISDOM for Marriage, Parenting, and Life.”

 In addition, I now have six marriage videos on my YouTube Channel, “Dr. Randall Schroeder.” Thank you!

 

Fam Jam Parenting Workshop

On Saturday, November 3 at 10:30 am, I am speaking on “Christian Leadership Parenting.”  The FamJam Parenting Workshop, www.hclc.info/famjam, will take place from 9:00am to 1:00pm at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 8115 Oaklandon Road, Indianapolis, 46236, 317-823-5801. Fifteen speakers will gather to provide insights on parenting, finances, anxiety, sibling relationships, sleep issues, and even picky eaters. There is something for everyone!  This will be helpful for parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles, nannies & babysitters, and anyone who cares for children.

This is not just for Holy Cross families but for anyone in the entire Indianapolis area and surrounding communities.

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FamJam Parenting Workshop

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On Saturday, November 3 at 10:30 am, I am speaking on “Christian Leadership Parenting.”  The FamJam Parenting Workshop, www.hclc.info/famjam, will take place from 9:00am to 1:00pm at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 8115 Oaklandon Road, Indianapolis, 46236, 317-823-5801. Fifteen speakers will gather to provide insights on parenting, finances, anxiety, sibling relationships, sleep issues, and even picky eaters. There is something for everyone!  This will be helpful for parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles, nannies & babysitters, and anyone who cares for children.

This is not just for Holy Cross families but for anyone in the entire Indianapolis area and surrounding communities.

4 Christian Qualities To Instill In Your Child

On Wednesdays I post a practical wisdom thought or suggestion on Marriage, Parenting, or Life. Four Qualities at the core of Jesus are Respect, Humility, Servanthood, and Compassion.  These are the same four qualities that will help your child be similar to Jesus in all their associations with others.

Jesus showed RESPECT to everyone, including the Pharisees who did not respect Him.  A child may feel free to disagree with others but should always respect everyone even if another person has a differing opinion.

The Bible says, “Jesus HUMBLED Himself on the cross for the sins of the world.”  True humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.  A child with humility will not have a superior attitude and look down upon others but instead view everyone as an equal.

Jesus “came not to be served but to SERVE.”  Likewise, a healthy child with a servant’s heart will give to others in various ways by putting the interests of others above their own.  Serving is giving to others without expecting anything in return.

Finally, the Bible says Jesus had “COMPASSION” on those who did not believe He was the Son of God who opens the door to heaven.  A child having both sympathy and empathy for others will possess a compassionate heart for everyone.

For a Child:  Example is not the best teacher, EXAMPLE IS THE ONLY TEACHER!  So ESSENTIAL ATTITUDES ARE CAUGHT from a parent more than taught by a parent!

Please follow me on Facebook and “Like” and “Share” when you read a post that is beneficial so others may receive the post.  In addition, I now have six marriage videos on my YouTube Channel, “Dr. Randall Schroeder.” 

If you enjoyed reading this post you may enjoy reading other posts found on the website, www.DrRandallSchroeder.com, under “PRACTICAL WISDOM for Marriage, Parenting, and Life.” Thank you!

4 Success Qualities To Instill In Your Child

On Wednesdays I post a practical wisdom thought or suggestion on Marriage, Parenting, or Life. I believe that there are Four Qualities that lead to a successful life for your child - Positive Attitude, Confidence, Determination, and Toughness or Resilience.

A child with a POSITIVE ATTITUDE will wake up each morning optimistic that there will be more positive than not so positive things happening that day.  A Positive Attitude means everything in terms of responding to all life situations.  Charles Swindol said, “Life is 10% what happens and 90% how we respond” and a healthy response is based upon a Positive Attitude.

A child needs CONFIDENCE in their God-given talents and gifts.  A child with solid confidence will give a good, consistent effort every day with their God-given abilities because they believe in themselves.

A child benefits from a DETERMINED spirit to never give up!!!  The great Winston Churchill said his philosophy of life was to “Never, Never, Never Give Up!!!” Determination provides the internal motivation to always be a finisher in achieving goals and dreams.

Finally, a child with TOUGHNESS or resilience will always bounce back from setbacks.  Life has ups but there will also be downs and a child must learn to be tough and resilient after being knocked down.  Hence, a child actually benefits from experiencing bumps and bruises in order to develop toughness.

For a child:  Example is not the best teacher, EXAMPLE IS THE ONLY TEACHER!  So ESSENTIAL ATTITUDES ARE CAUGHT from a parent more than taught by a parent!

Next Wednesday, October 3, I will blog post the 4 Christian Qualities To Instill In Your Child.

Please follow me on Facebook and “Like” and “Share” when you read a post that is beneficial so others may receive the post.  If you enjoyed reading this post you may enjoy reading other posts found on the website, www.DrRandallSchroeder.com, under “Categories.” In addition, I now have six marriage videos on my YouTube Channel, “Dr. Randall Schroeder.” Thank you!

Marital Good Times Rule

On Wednesdays I post a practical wisdom thought or suggestion on Marriage, Parenting, or Life. Research has found that distressed couples have more fights and arguments than happy couples, not surprising. In addition to more arguments, distressed couples also have a tendency to avoid conflicts by withdrawing from each other and that creates a silent marital atmosphere. A muted marital mood compounds the dissatisfaction because that means fewer gratifying times together.

On the other hand, research discovered satisfied couples intentionally have good times together when they are not having arguments.  Happy couples actually plan for those positive times and that produces even more deposits in their emotional love bank account.

TODAY:  Plan for daily, weekly, and monthly good times to strengthen your relationship as well as overcome a silent marital atmosphere.

Please follow me on Facebook and “Like” and “Share” when you read a post that is beneficial so others may receive the post.  If you enjoyed reading this post you may enjoy reading other posts found on the website, www.DrRandallSchroeder.com, under “Categories.” In addition, I now have six marriage videos on my YouTube Channel, “Dr. Randall Schroeder.” Thank you!

#marriage  #happymarriage #relationships

6th  Marital “C” – Compliment Daily

Praise creates positive energy in relationships, especially a marriage.  Learn ideas for developing a marital atmosphere that possesses an attitude of gratitude as well as daily compliments. This is the sixth video as part of the “Twelve Cs.”  The link is:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c9MRpPFaTE&t=2s.   I hope that you will also benefit from the other videos on my YouTube channel.

The Twelve “Cs” are:  Commitment To Improve and Grow; Communication: Enhancing Your Connection; Compliment Daily; Confession (Apologizing) and Forgiveness; Caressing-The Cement; Cohesion:  Your Emotional Connection; Cooperation; Conflict Resolution (Disagreement Discussion); Commitment To Plan; Cash; Clan (Family); and Change.

My YouTube channel is “Dr. Randall Schroeder.”  Will you please help in two ways?  Subscribe to my YouTube channel and whenever you find my video helpful or interesting, will you please both “Like” and “Share” it?

 

5th  Marital “C” – Confession (Apologizing) and Forgiveness

Without apologies and forgiveness, it will be nearly impossible for a couple to have a satisfying marriage.  Hurts and sins happen in every satisfying marriage because both spouses are imperfect and flawed.  The “glue” for every marital relationship is apologizing and forgiving.  An explanation of the entire apologizing and forgiving process will help enhance a marital relationship. This is the fifth video as part of the “Twelve Cs.”  The link is:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwduoXz8NDE&t=4s.   I hope that you will also benefit from the other videos on my YouTube channel.

The Twelve “Cs” are:  Commitment To Improve and Grow; Communication: Enhancing Your Connection; Compliments; Confession (Apologizing) and Forgiveness; Caressing-The Cement; Cohesion:  Your Emotional Connection; Cooperation; Conflict Resolution (Disagreement Discussion); Commitment To Plan; Cash; Clan (Family); and Change.

My YouTube channel is “Dr. Randall Schroeder.”  Will you please help in two ways?  Subscribe to my YouTube channel and whenever you find my video helpful or interesting, will you please both “Like” and “Share” it?