5 Common Issues Couples Fight About

In today’s episode, we dig deep into 5 of the most common topics couples fight about.

Of course, there are always more and other issues – this is certainly not an exhaustive list! But if you find that money, parenting, intimacy and housework are recurring themes – and you need some practical ways to overcome them –  take a listen.

Some highlights:

Money – According to a study done by Kredit Karma, 78% of couples interviewed say that money is a significant cause of marital stress. It’s so much more than just the saver/spender mentality. Family culture (the culture of your birth home) has most likely created different approaches to the concept, and what it means within the family. Additionally, when a husband earns less than the wife, that can often affect his ego and be a point of contention. Setting goals together as a couple and establishing a family budget can truly help to minimize this becoming an issue. When all else fails – seek help!

Parenting – When couples fight about this it’s usually to a difference of opinion. But when the first child comes, polls have indicated that 70% of parents have felt a decrease in marital satisfaction. Again, the family culture you came from can heavily influence how you feel about parenting. The best way to manage this is to come together, talk it through, and develop a joint parenting plan. Create a shared dialogue that enables both you and your spouse to feel heard and valued.

Intimacy – This is more than just sex, and it becomes a problem when people don’t share their needs or desires. Managing expectations is crucial! We talk about an important distinction between the meaning of love and sex for both genders that you will definitely want to hear about.

Housework – Research shows that men who share in the housework more often…have more sex. And, more importantly, this activity provides countless opportunities to connect and grow together as a couple.

You may be surprised by #5!   (We were, too!)

“Fighting is almost always related to feeling a lack of connection…” – Duane Stewart

2 Important takeaways from this episode:

1. Pay attention to how you handle conflict, no matter the issue.
2. Remember to maintain that all-important ratio of 5-1 positivity-negativity. (Details inside…)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Philippians 4:8

Before you go,  don’t forget to grab a copy of our freebie: Goal Setting for Couples