Regardless of your family situation, you’re very likely to have learned at least a few things from your parents’ relationship, for better or for worse. But truth be told, now being in a serious relationship on the way to marriage soon (hopefully), I’ve learned that there’s really no such thing as ‘ for worse’.  

Our parents’ relationships, faults and all, shows us what we want, and what we don’t want in a relationship (if we’re wise enough to notice the difference).

When we’re young, mostly we’re too naive and innocent to really notice the difference between healthy and destructive, thankfully, and unfortunately. This innocence allows us, for the most part, to grow up happy and thinking that our parents are the perfect, model couple.

If for whatever reason, they’ve got their flaws (like most couples), then hopefully we eventually learned that such behaviors were less than healthy and that we do not wish to live a similar relationship. We grow up, start to fall in love, and then begin to either subconsciously fear or wish to be just like our parents.

So what have I learned from my parents’ relationship? A whole lot more than can be put into words, but I’ll try my very best. Love takes work, a whole lot. Love should never be taken for granted and needs to be invested in every single day. You never get a day off. Love complicates things. Money complicates things. Family traditions will never fade.

Gender stereotypes still exist. Heads will always butt. In-Laws will never fully get-along. There will always be a power struggle. Nothing will ever be completely equal. The compromise is worth it.

Children are the world’s greatest shared experiences. Children connect you forever. Marriage can always be worked on. Divorce is two people giving up on each other.  Decisions should be mutual. Each person should stand their own. You learn to pick your battles. True love does exist.