Babyproofing Your Marriage

Warning!Newparentsarelikelytoexperience:Scorekeeping鈥擜nexceedinglycomplex,oftenrelentless,tit-for-tatwarwagedbyhusbandsandwivesoverthedivisionofparentingresponsibilitiesanddomesticchores.TheTenO'ClockShoulderTap鈥擟onsideredbymanymentobeaformofforeplay.Apawonawife'sshoulderishowsomemenindicatetheirdesireforsex.TheTapisrarelyaccompaniedbyatermofendearmentoranyotherverbalformofcommunicationandisseldomwellreceivedbytheoften-sleeping/almost-always-exhaustedwife.Thefrustratedhusband,meanwhile,wondersifhiswifehaspulledaBaitandSwitchinthebedroom.ClashoftheGrannies鈥擜highstakes"whowillhavethegreatestinfluenceonthegrandkids"tournamentplayedbyeachsetofgrandparents.Competitivecategoriesinclude:theTitleChampionship(whogetstobecalled"Grandma"),theBattleforFloorandWallSpace,theBattleforFaceTime,andGratuitousGrandparentalGift-Giving.TheBabyproofersarethreewomenwhowouldn'ttradetheirrolesasmothersforanything,andtheylovetheirhusbandsdeeply.Butafterlivingthroughitandhearingthestoriesofhundredsofothercouples,theyknowthatwithyoungchildreninthehouse,youneedtoblockthestairswithbabygates,putplasticcoversovertheoutlets,ANDtakethenecessarystepstosafeguardyourmarriage.BabyproofingYourMarriageisthewarts-and-alltruthabouthowhavingchildrencanaffectyourrelationship.Theauthorsexplorethetransitiontoparenthoodinlightoftheirownexperiences,withinputfromtheirhusbandsandcommentaryfrommenandwomenacrossthecountry.Theirevenhandedapproachtobothsidesofthemaritalequationallowsspousestounderstandeachotherinawholenewway.Withloadsofhumorandpracticaladvice,theBabyprooferswillguidefirst-timeparentsandveteransalikearoundtherockyshoresoftheearlyparentingyears.Don'tfallpreytocommonrelationshippitfalls:BabyproofYourMarriage!