Four Ingredients For a Successful Marriage in New York

The Woolworth Building, at 57 stories, is one of the oldest and most famous buildings in New York City. It is a National Historic Landmark, having been listed in 1966. Built by Frank Woolworth for Woolworth’s new corporate headquarters in 1910, the building stood for almost a century as a symbol of the hard work, determination, commitment, and a common set of values  that exemplified Woolworth.

In a recent interview in 2008 with Roger Corbett, Woolworth’s former CEO and  currently the Director of the Reserve Bank of Australia, when asked what is more important to him, money, family and friends, religion, or life principles, he responded, “I don’t think of ranking these things. They are all integral parts of what makes up life for you, and they are all important. They’re like legs to a table. You need all four.” I certainly think Mr. Corbett is absolutely right on target when it comes to marriage and raising a family. Without all four of these ingredients, our marriages seem to teeter and our families are often dysfunctional just like a table with only three legs. Why should we even consider these observations as being key ingredients to successfully being married and raising a family?

Money, especially in America, represents what we possess, power, and often influences who we are within our communities. In a sense, then, money can represent our self esteem and often does. Money provides the basic living necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, education, and good health care, and it also provides the luxuries of life. When we are without money or assets to barter, the well being of ourselves, marriage, and family can often suffer. Certainly it is no secret that divorce often places a hardship on the spouses to maintain their level of living prior to the divorce. In turn, not only do the spouses sometime suffer, their children suffer as well. Therefore, when money is used as a tool to provide the basic necessities of life and give our marriages and children every opportunity for success, then money is an important integral part of marriage and raising a family.

Family and friends are important ingredients to both marriage and children. We, as human beings, have a built in need for support groups in order to function as we should. When our families and friends interfere with our marriage and take sides, the results can be divisive at best and destructive at worse, but when we get along with our families and friends, the harmonious spirit can contribute to a well functioning and dynamic marriage as well as healthy and well balanced children. Therefore, supportive family and friends are integral parts of marriage and raising a family.

Religion is important to the success of a marriage with children if you define religion as that which provides a positive attitude or spirit of life. As human beings, our spirits, or attitude about life, is what motivates us to accept the trials and tribulations this life has to offer. Without a positive can do spirit,  the problems we encounter in marriage and raising children can sometimes be overwhelming. Religion is the reinforcement which allows our spirit to continue on in overcoming the trials and tribulation this life offers. Therefore, a religion that promotes a positive spirit is certainly an integral part of marriage and raising children.

Finally, life principles are important to the success of a marriage with children. Hard work, determination, commitment, and common values are the kinds of life principles that are tantamount to raising children and living together as husband and wife. When these principles breakdown in our relationships, complications will abound, but when husband and wife are hard workers, determined to make their relationship work, committed to one another and the ideals of marriage and family, and supportive of each others values, life’s principles are an integral part of marriage and raising children.

Wherever you live, whether it is in places like New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Schenectady, or Troy these four ingredients are the same throughout the great state of New York. They are necessary and important ingredients  for marriages and raising children. Maybe one or more of these ingredients to a successful marriage has broken down in your marital relationship, and you are considering a divorce which might also cause the break up of your family. Please contact us and we will help you find a divorce attorney who specializes in family law practice in your area.