Authors: Monica Leahy
ISBN-13: 9780071438032, ISBN-10: 0071438033
Format: Paperback
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies, The
Date Published: April 2004
Edition: (Non-applicable)
Monica Mendez Leahy has been helping couples prepare for marriage for twenty years. She hosts a series of couples' workshops in the Los Angeles area and has been featured in the Ladies Home Journal and the Wall Street Journal and on Lifetime Television.
"An important and essential book for all couples contemplating marriage."
Dr. Barry G. Ginsberg, Executive Director, Center of Relationship Enhancement
Love can be bliss, but marriage takes work. Communication, compromise, and joint decision making are key ingredients to a successful marriage. Using a variety of fun, interactive formats, including multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and hypotheticals, relationship expert Monica Mendez Leahy brings to the table these and many other important issues that will arise in every marriageincluding the ones that may blindside you. 1,001 Questions to Ask Before You Get Married will help you and your partner explore your common goals and perspectives as well as celebrate your unique differences as you prepare for your life journey together.
Through the questions posed in this book, you and your betrothed will explore fundamental questions about nature, thought processes, lifestyle, and marital expectations, including:
Monica Mendez Leahy has been helping couples prepare for marriage for twenty years. She hosts a series of couples' workshops in the Los Angeles area and has been featured in the Ladies Home Journal and the Wall Street Journal and on Lifetime Television.
Acknowledgments | xi | |
Introduction | xiii | |
How to Use This Book | xv | |
How to Discuss Your Differences | xix | |
Part 1 | Your Past | 1 |
1 | Growing Up in a Traditional Family | 3 |
2 | Growing Up with Divorced or Single Parents | 5 |
3 | Impact and Influences of Other Relationships | 8 |
4 | At School and Play | 10 |
Your Past: Thoughts on Your Answers | 12 | |
Part 2 | Parents and In-Laws | 15 |
5 | Your Parents | 17 |
6 | Your In-Laws | 19 |
7 | Are We Our Parents? | 21 |
8 | Spending Time with Parents | 22 |
9 | One Big Happy Family | 24 |
Parents and In-Laws: Thoughts on Your Answers | 28 | |
Part 3 | Significant Others | 31 |
10 | Relatives | 33 |
11 | Friends | 35 |
12 | Pets | 37 |
13 | Exes and Past Relationships | 39 |
14 | Relating to Others | 41 |
Significant Others: Thoughts on Your Answers | 43 | |
Part 4 | Children | 45 |
15 | How Many, if Any? | 47 |
16 | Reasons to Conceive | 49 |
17 | Raising a Baby | 51 |
18 | Financing a Family | 53 |
19 | Stepchildren and Guardianship | 56 |
20 | How Would You Respond? | 58 |
Children: Thoughts on Your Answers | 60 | |
Part 5 | Perspectives | 63 |
21 | Religion and Spirituality | 65 |
22 | Race and Culture | 68 |
23 | Politics | 70 |
24 | Careers | 72 |
25 | Seven Years Later | 75 |
26 | Your Future | 78 |
Perspectives: Thoughts on Your Answers | 80 | |
Part 6 | Daily Life and Lifestyles | 83 |
27 | Who Will Do What? | 85 |
28 | Daily Routine | 87 |
29 | Changes | 89 |
30 | Do You Mind? | 91 |
Daily Life and Lifestyles: Thoughts on Your Answers | 93 | |
Part 7 | Leisure Time | 95 |
31 | How You Relax | 97 |
32 | Planning a Trip | 99 |
33 | Your Traveling Style | 101 |
34 | Are We Having Fun Yet? | 104 |
Leisure Time: Thoughts on Your Answers | 107 | |
Part 8 | Finances | 109 |
35 | Saving and Spending Styles | 111 |
36 | Managing Your Money | 114 |
37 | When Times Get Tough | 116 |
38 | Money Honesty | 118 |
39 | Our First Budget | 122 |
40 | Your Marriage, Money, and the Law | 124 |
41 | Financial Checklist | 127 |
Finances: Thoughts on Your Answers | 129 | |
Part 9 | Physical Intimacy | 131 |
42 | What, Where, and How Often? | 133 |
43 | Let's Get Physical | 135 |
44 | What Would You Do? | 137 |
45 | Honor and Trust | 140 |
Physical Intimacy: Thoughts on Your Answers | 143 | |
Part 10 | Emotional Intimacy | 145 |
46 | The Real You | 147 |
47 | Showing How You Feel | 149 |
48 | Saying "I Love You" | 151 |
49 | Are You Good for Each Other? | 153 |
50 | Are You Bad for Each Other? | 156 |
Emotional Intimacy: Thoughts on Your Answers | 159 | |
Part 11 | Special Situations | 161 |
51 | Marrying Someone in the Military | 163 |
52 | Marrying a Noncitizen | 165 |
53 | Marrying a Criminal | 167 |
54 | Marrying a Celebrity | 170 |
55 | Marrying Someone Significantly Older or Younger | 173 |
Special Situations: Thoughts on Your Answers | 175 | |
Part 12 | Your Wedding | 177 |
56 | Getting Married | 179 |
57 | Your Wedding | 181 |
58 | Family, Guests, and Attendants | 183 |
59 | Remarriage | 185 |
60 | To Have and to ... Hold On! | 187 |
61 | Your Honeymoon | 192 |
Your Wedding: Thoughts on Your Answers | 195 | |
Part 13 | Marriage Builders or Breakers | 197 |
62 | Living Together Before Marriage | 199 |
63 | Communication | 202 |
64 | The Friendship Factor | 206 |
65 | Reasons to Reconsider Marriage | 209 |
66 | Personality Types | 215 |
67 | Habits That Drive Couples Apart | 223 |
Epilogue: Final Thoughts | 229 | |
Spousal Ten Commandments | 231 |