31 Days to Make Your Marriage Thrive: Day 8 - Be Affectionate in Public

{Hey there! Thanks for stopping by to follow my new series 31 Days to Make Your Marriage Thrive.  Every day in the month of October I'll be giving you tips and tricks on how to make your marriage spectacular. Feel free to follow me on Twitter @LilbearMe  for more #31dmymt, and check the bottom of this post for the beginning posts of this series!}

 

Day 8 - Be affectionate to your spouse in public

While in the course of every day life, we're bound to see someone exhibiting PDA {public displays of affection}.  In movies, at the mall, or even in our neighborhoods, couples tend to show their feelings for one another.  Are you one of those couples? You should be!

Before you get confused, let me set the record straight.  I'm not advising you and your husband to step into the middle of a busy street and start groping one another.  The point is not for you to put on a show for passersby; it's to send a message to your man that you love him, wherever you are, and you're not embarrassed to show it.  

Showing affection in public can be many things like holding hands, sharing a kiss, or just standing with your arms around each others' waists.  Doing this solidifies the marital connection you have with each other.   And let's not forget one ideal location to show your love: at home in front of your kids.

I remember in my childhood seeing my parents affectionate with each other.  Dad would come home from work and Mom would be there to greet him.  Even now in my mind I can clearly see his arms encircling her waist, her arms around his neck, and them taking a moment for a kiss.  And viewing this scene, over and over again, cemented in my young brain a positive marriage relationship. 

That doesn't mean life was perfect. My parents still had arguments and issues, but my sisters and I always saw how committed they were to each other.  It set the stage for things to come.

TechDaddy and I have always shown affection for each other in front of our kids. When the kids see us snuggling on the couch during a family movie, holding hands at a Disney park, or me resting my head on TechDaddy's chest with his arms around me, they feel relaxed that their world is safe.

Whether we make out kiss, grope hug, or hold hands, we're sending a sweet reminder to them: we love each other and we're in it for the long haul no matter what.  Doing this accomplishes bonus points for parenting and marriage.  On our "parenting agenda": (1) maintain a family atmosphere where the kids feel secure; and (2) mold in their minds what a healthy marriage looks like.

It also accomplishes one very important ideal for my husband and me: be loving to each other as much as possible. Yes, it's great to set a positive example for our kids, but showing affection to each other speaks volumes!  It says "You're important to me," "I'm so happy you're mine," and "I'll love you forever."

So next time you and your man are out and about, show him some affection and let him shower you with love right back.  It will make your marriage thrive!

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Here's the rest of the series "31 Days to Make Your Marriage Thrive":

Day 1: Don't Forget Date Night
Day 2: Listen When Your Husband Speaks

Day 3: Turn off distractions

Day 4: Take a shower together!
Day 5: Let Him Chill  

Day 6: Tell Yourself You're Awesome! 

Day 7: Speak Nicely About Your Mate

For more 31 Days series' visit The Nester.