What is the secret to a 50 year marriage?

Answer 1

When you both know that you can put up with each other! (especially in a diseased world we live in)

Answer 2

Excellent question! You can find TONS of answers on communication, building strong marriages, fair fighting, etc. in the free articles section at http://bardos.net

Just some of the articles are:

-Valentine's All Year
-Seven Ways to Make Your Marriage Last
-Nine Rules for Fair Fighting
-Daily Romance: Tips for Keeping the Love Alive (Parts 1 & 2)
-26 Ways of Woo
-Dealing with Anger
-Count the Cost
-Pre-Marital Work:
--Prepare for Your Marraige, Not Just Your Wedding,
What to Expect from Pre-marital Work,
--To the Parents and Grandparents of Young Married Couples
-The "Building Strong Families" Series
--Introduction to Strong Family Traits
--Building Strong Families with Appreciation
--Building Strong Families with Commitment
--Building Strong Families with Creative Coping and Problem Solving
--Building Strong Families with Communication
--Building Strong Families with Time Together
--Building Strong Families with Spiritual Wellness
--NEW: Building Marital Strengths: 6 Core Principles & 23 Practical Strategies

I wish you all the best in making it not only a 50 year marriage, but 50 of the best years of your life!

Jonathan Sherman, LMFT

Answer 3

Don't divorce.

Thinking that 50 year marriages are all a bed of roses is a false belief. I had a friend that was married to her husband for 47 years before she died. He cheated on her several times. He took paychecks for booze and guitars. He abused the children and her physically and mentally. He is/ and was/ a complete jerk but they never divorced.

Had she left him, he threatened to kill her and the children. Times have changed (thankfully) and people do not need to stay in bad relationships. Years should not be what matters, but the quality of the years.

Answer 4

I haven't been married for 50 years yet... But for the 12 years so far the key has been communication, understanding and keep dating. Me and my wife have a date night at least once a month - kids sent to grandparents/sitters - just a night where all our attention is on each other and again communication. Again, did I mention communication and understanding.

Answer 5

We've been happily married 36 years, and I guarantee you, some of the key elements of a successful relationship - married or otherwise - are:

1) A long list of common interests; things you both enjoy doing TOGETHER as opposed to separate interests and separate groups of friends.

2) A lot of tolerance for each other's differences. As much as you share in common, you're still going to rub one another wrong from time to time. Be mature and deal with it. Separate the small $h!t from the serious stuff.

3) A sense of compromise; so that you can work out your problems with a minimum of emotional trauma. It's marital negotiation.

4) A sense of sympathy and forgiveness. You're both going to screw up on occasion. You need to be able to forgive, forget, and move on with the relationship.

Answer 6

Well made it a little over half way there 26 years. Communication, respect, knowing when to just back off and let someone vent, and starting out and remaining best friends. Understanding that there are times to just be quiet, and above all trust, support, and honesty

Answer 7

one man and one women making a 100% commitment to each other.They never want to use the (easy-out) "D"word.
My grandmother told me when things were rough and she didn't know how they would work out.My grandmother would picture in her mind a young woman (at the alter) telling the man she wanted to marry that she would be with him no matter what.That settled the issue for her.They were married about 65 years.

Answer 8

communication, trust, respect, compromise and my favorite never going to bed upset with each other.....we haven't made it to 50 yet but we are working on it.....

Answer 9

Give the other person enough rope to hang themselves -- and then don't hang them :-)

Answer 10

open communication