Great Expectations

Margaret Talbot, presently a writer at The New Yorker, when she was writing for The New Republic, said that the higher the expectations in a marriage, the greater are the number of divorces.

Even though you may strive for the ideal marriage, the truth remains that there is no ideal marriage. You continue working on your marriage for your problems to come through.

Having said that it is not abnormal to have expectations from your husband. These expectations will change as your marriage progresses. Take a look at the five main life stages in your marriage and what you should realistically expect out of your husband.

The New Bride

1. A sense of belonging. You will expect him to help you feel a total sense of belonging to the family. This is because as a new bride you will be anxious and nervous and will expect your husband to help you feel like you have come back to your own home.

2. No comparisons. You should expect him to accept you for who you are and not compare you to his family or friends.

3. Adjusting issues. You should expect him to help you adjust to the new place. You may have visited his home several times before your wedding but living there after marriage is a different thing. He should not take for granted that you are married now and expect you to adjust on your own.

4. Understanding helps. He must be supportive and understanding of any problem or issue that you may face in your marital home. Remember, the problem does not have to a big one but he should understand that since you are new to your marital home, even a small issue may unnerve you.

5. Romance on a roll. As clichéd as it may sound, you will expect and want him to be romantic. You are just married and expecting him to have the honeymoon phase going on for sometime is perfectly normal.

Also Read: What Makes a Successful Marriage?