A couple of years ago, the state of Utah joined other states around the country and passed a Marriage Education Discount bill. The bill gives couples a discount on their marriage license when they complete marriage education or premarital counseling. I was really excited when the bill was being considered and even more excited when it passed. I signed the petition for the bill and shared information about the program across all of my social media platforms. Now I encourage every engaged couple I know to take advantage of the program. Not just to save a little cash, but to start their marriage off on a good foot!
I feel strongly about relationship education both before marriage and throughout. I wish that I’d known more about marriage education when we were engaged. So that we would have been motivated to take some classes before tying the knot. Now that I do know about it, I seek opportunities to participate as often as possible.
Marriage and relationship education provides you with an opportunity to learn new skills and tools that when put into practice, strengthen your marriage. Just as you wouldn’t stop taking music lessons or practicing daily after your first recital. You shouldn’t stop working on your relationship or learning things that will help you better your marriage. We can always improve our communication skills, connect on a deeper level and learn more about each other. Relationship education gives you a chance to do these things in a casual atmosphere. It includes an element of fun and makes it the perfect activity for date night!
So many couples wait until their marriage is struggling before they look into counseling or seek out relationship opportunities. When I discovered the field of Family Studies and started to pursue my degree, I knew that I could continue on to become a therapist. But I really loved the preventative side of the field. Preventative education encourages couples to strengthen the relationship that they have been building. And work on challenges that they might have before those turn into bigger problems. I’ve seen classes for individuals to focus on developing healthy relationship skills while they’re dating. Classes that help couples to be a better team as they tackle life together. And even classes for blended families that help them merge their family cultures and address common challenges that come with remarriage.
Related: How Family Life Education Benefits You
There are many ways to participate in relationship education together. I love teaching classes and speaking at workshops and love to attend them for my own learning as well. I know not everyone is excited about the idea of such a public setting for learning how to have a better marriage. And lucky for them, there are a lot of great ways to learn at home! Below are some of my favorite ways to increase my knowledge and better myself as an individual and a wife.
If you love to read or listen to audiobooks, you can get a good education at home! I know a lot of couples who have their own book club and I think this would be a fun way to learn together! Read together every night and discuss what you’ve read. Or read the books on your own before planning a date night to discuss the book and the concepts that you want to work on in your own relationship. Click here for a list of my favorite marriage books for couples, Or check out my Pinterest board for some other ideas of books I’ve heard great things about, but haven’t read yet myself.
Related: How to Start a Book Club for Your Marriage
I’ve really gotten into podcasts this past year and think they are a great form of self-development. You can find podcasts in all genres, even marriage! Click here for a list of my favorite podcasts about marriage. A lot of podcasters have the opportunity to interview experts in the field. And they share those lessons and skills with you for free through their platform. Podcasts are an awesome resource and can be listened to while you drive in the car, clean the house, go for a walk or sit in the dark before bed.
Blogs and websites are great resources as well! I have a list of reputable sites, put together by people in the field of relationship education who really know their stuff. If you follow us on Facebook, you’ll see links to articles that I’ve found on those sites. That I feel are valuable for other couples to read. This is a good way to learn something new daily that you can apply to your marriage and other relationships in your life.
I love building an online community because I know that it’s a great way to reach more people with my message. And in this day and age, that’s where everyone is hanging out. Online conferences, webinars, and video series are convenient because they can be accessed when your schedule allows. And they are often available for replay or lifetime access for a small fee.
These are some of my favorites to both teach and attend. These types of classes are usually labeled as date nights. And they have a fun activity component that leads to some learning and practicing the skills learned. One of the favorites that I attended was a love languages class. And I’ll be helping with a grilling date night next month that also includes a relationship education component. If you have a spouse who is hesitant to participate in marriage education, looking for free local classes like these, offered through the extension might be a good option.
The rest of the relationship education opportunities I’ve attended, spoken at, or seen advertised are longer and more involved. Some, like the wives only workshops that I’ve spoken at, include multiple speakers, a few fun activities, and last a few hours. Others are all day events with multiple classes, and relationship-building activities and often include a meal or two. I’ve even seen overnight events put on by different church groups or professionals. These include lots of learning, meals, and fun opportunities to connect with your spouse.
Related: Marriage Education vs. Marriage Coaching vs. Marriage Therapy
As you can see, no matter what stage of life you’re in, what your budget looks like or how much time you are able to devote to education, there is an option for you. There is no reason you shouldn’t be continually working on your marriage and doing all that you can to make it better every single day. I have a passion for marriage education, and I hope that reading this post has given you a glimpse of how awesome it can be!
I would challenge you to make marriage education of some kind a priority at least once a quarter! Grab your favorite takeout and learn at home. Or make a night of going out to eat and attending a local class, workshop, or event.
