Week 10 - Fatherhood and Providing Financially

I thought this week's topic was particularly interesting. For me, being a father-figure is inevitable, but right now being a provider is not the best option. My wife and I have had multiple discussions over how she feels about being the sole provider right now and we understand that although it seems like our roles are reversed, they really aren't. I may not be making all of the money, but we do know that when we have children what our plans and goals should be focused on. When I think of fatherhood, I think of the three P's. A father should preside, provide, and protect. I know that no matter the circumstances financially are, I can always be there to provide and protect my family and those I love.

Week 9 - Communication

When we were discussing Communication in class today, I thought about the movie "Hitch" when he talks about mediums and how others interpret the message you are sending (especially non verbal). I think this is something that everyone should pay more attention to since it's something that we may not realize we are doing wrong. The slight eyeroll, posture, text message with a particular punctuation could even send the wrong message. It's really important to remember that while you may be sending the same message, everyone interprets your (same) message, differently. You will be able to learn how other people may interpret something by getting to know them. It's particularly important to be aware of any signs you are sending in the first impression phase. You want everyone to clearly understand your stance and intentions.

Week 8 - Stress and Coping

Lately, I have seen my wife become extremely stressed out in her job. She loves her job, but has a lot of pressures on her. I have thought about those stresses in her life affect her and whether or not they make her a better worker/person or whether it is becoming destructive. I like how in class we discussed the different kinds of pressures and how stress isn't always a bad thing. There are many ways in which we can relieve stress and as long as it is not hurting yourself or others around you that's great. I think it's crucial to remember that everyone deals with stress differently. You cannot expect someone else to handle a situation the same as you. That has become increasingly important to me since  I have been married. As long as she is able to find a way to continually happy, which she is, I am happy with how she copes with work and life stress.

Week 7 - Physical Intimacy

One thing that I really found interesting about physical intimacy is the needs and process at which each person is fulfilled. The woman in the relationship most commonly wants to feel love and closeness before the intimate point, where the man wants to be intimate right away and therefore has his closeness needs fulfilled that way. It is really fascinating to me that both the man and the woman have needs at opposite spectrums and yet they are willing to sacrifice their needs for a common goal resulting in a stronger relationship/marriage. Intimacy is not just about the pleasure from it, but for the love and respect you are showing to your spouse.