No young couple thinks that someday they'll be unhappily married. But at some point, many married couples find that their relationship isn't as happy as it once was. They let distance come between them, their marriage goes stale and before you know it they decide it is better to stay apart.

To make matters worse, couples choose to stay silent about the growing distance between them. They either feel that the conversation isn't worth having and remain in unhappy marriages, or they just stop trying and decide to separate.

But before you make such a rash decision, honestly ask yourself what you've done to revive your stale marriage: Have you put in enough effort to change things around?

If you haven't, you can start by doing these things:

1. Don't take each other for granted - show appreciation

Showing appreciation could be anything from saying "thank you" for the small things your partner does, or reminding your darling how important they are to you.

Next time your husband comes back exhausted from a long day at work, how about you surprise him with tickets to the game? Or when your wife finally lays down in bed after she tucks the kids in, tell her how much you appreciate what she does and treat her to a spa day.

It doesn't take a lot of time and effort to let your partner know they are still on your mind.

2. Break the rut you've gotten into

Whatever routine you two have gotten yourselves into, stop it now. Do something different and reconnect with your partner.

Once a month (or more), get a sitter for the kids and have a date night. Ladies, pop on a dress that wows your man. Men, make sure you look dapper to let your woman know you care, too.

3. Don't bottle up emotions - communicate and solve problems

That growing distance between you and your honey is because you've both chosen to live in silence. But bottling up your emotions and avoiding discussions only causes more problems.

You have to resolve conflicts before you can change and move in the right direction. Choosing not to bring something up because you're worried about how your partner will react is a sign of an unhealthy relationship. If your partner isn't aware of your feelings, how can you expect them to fix what is bothering you?

If you can't communicate by yourself, work with a marriage counselor or therapist to help you be more vocal about your emotions.

4. Learn to disagree happily - you don't always have to have the last word

We all know at least one couple that bickers back and forth. I'm not talking about the cute couples that may bicker constantly but it's obvious that they are deeply in love. I'm talking about those that bicker, throw sarcastic comments and roll their eyes at each other.

You are two different individuals; yes, you have different opinions, but you don't need to argue about it for hours. Fighting back and forth just increases frustration and always escalates into a fight.

If you and your spouse both have strong personalities, disagreements can turn into serious fights. In couples where one partner is more submissive, the dominating partner usually gets the last word at the expense of their partner.

Neither situation creates a happy marriage.

Next time you get into a disagreement, take a second to think about whether it is an argument worth having. If you find that the both of you aren't going to agree, then accept it peacefully and move on. No good is going to come from staying angry about it. Learn to let go of the little things for a happy relationship.

5. Don't be complacent with lack of intimacy

An emotional disconnect between couples plays a big role in the bedroom. Other couples feel like they are no longer attracted to their partners. Women's bodies specifically undergo a lot of changes during the course of marriage due to pregnancy and childbirth and many men are put off by these changes.

Getting back that physical attraction will help bring intimacy back into your marriage. Pledge to stay fit and healthy if you feel you've let yourself go.

Sexual rejection is another problem couples face in marriage. If for some reason your sexual drive has deteriorated, consider seeing a physician for help. Your marriage requires some form of intimacy to keep it healthy.

Suffering in silence is toxic for any relationship. Don't think of how things were and how they have changed. Instead, focus on how to make things better. No one said marriage was going to be easy - put in the effort, support one another and make it last.

The post How to revive your unhappy marriage appeared first on FamilyToday.

Pain in any form is bad for our daily functionality, as it reduces our ability to concentrate fully. The burning sensation that results from it creates too much tug on our brains. Our bodies, no matter how hard and sturdy they seem, are quite fragile towards succumbing to our bad habits.

The same holds true for our backs as a lot of us have a high chance of developing back pain as we get older. This is one kind of pain that doesn't go away easily. People with back pain have immense problems continuing to do what is deemed normal like working, driving and even sitting and standing. The pain is made more excruciating by the fact that it engulfs the whole back and its effect is even felt in the arms and legs.

Back pain is not a disease which inflicts you on its own, it's brought upon by us due to our harmful habits, which contribute to its origin and let it aggravate further as time progresses.

Here are 4 harmful habits that you need to avoid to stop you from developing back pain and neutralize it if you have it currently:

1. Bad posture for prolonged periods of time

The leading cause of back pain is having sustained bad posture, which leaves your back in an unnatural position, harming the discs in the spinal cord or twisting the muscles which start generating pain if you keep on doing it. Most people with back pain complain of stiffness, which comes as you unwind yourself into your natural position as the back gets jammed.

To avoid this from happening, you have to correct your posture and ensure that it stays that way. Bad posture includes hunching and slouching while sitting or standing making the strain on your back heighten. Keep your back straight and have a sturdy support when sitting and stand with your chest protruding outwards to keep your back in its inwardly curved position throughout your body.

2. Not having a good night's sleep

Sleeping is the body's mechanism to recuperate not only the mind from the day's activity but for your body as well. It's a well-known fact that your height in the morning is higher than when you end up in bed at night. This is due to the gravitational pull of the earth and the back's natural coil action that happens to absorb strain.

Getting a good night's sleep is necessary for your back to straighten itself back to its normal position. For an adult, 7-9 hours of sleep every night is necessary to avoid developing back pain. Also, take care that the surface you sleep on is not too soft or too hard but that it provides support and fits the contouring of your back perfectly.

3. Not having a balanced diet

Your bones need their due nutrition like every other part of the body and if these specific needs are not met, trouble will be generated. The main requirement of your bones and muscles are consuming calcium and protein simultaneously in substantiated quantities on a daily basis to keep them functioning in a healthy manner.

Our worst habit is that when we do eat too much of the right stuff, we end up being overweight, which puts further strain on the already weakened muscles and bones, multiplying exponentially and causing immense pain.

What we need to do is to follow a healthy diet, firstly to keep ourselves in the normal BMI range, and secondly to give our muscles and bones what they want. Consume protein-rich foods like fish, meat and eggs and foods with high calcium content like milk, cooked kale and broccoli to keep the most strained muscles and bones strengthened.

4. Not exercising on a daily basis

Redundancy is bad for everything and the same goes for your body. Your body needs to be activated in the right manner for a certain time period every day, even if it's small. Back pain is also caused when your back loses its strength and snaps and wilts under the slightest addition of pressure. Exercising keeps your body in good shape and keeps it agile.

The best thing to do is to prepare a regimen for you and follow it daily. This regimen should consist of meditational exercises, cardio and weight training to keep your body fit. Remember that in all kinds of daily exercise, your back comes into play and gains strength which makes it harder for you to develop any sort of pain in it because of its increased ability to absorb and neutralize pressure.

The post 4 harmful habits that can cause back pain and how to avoid them appeared first on FamilyToday.

Your child's malleable mind is formed by how you, their siblings and close ones treat them. So, choose your words carefully. Words once said cannot be taken back. Your well-thought out words teach your child to think before they speak so they don't hurt someone's feelings intentionally or unintentionally.

This is called positive enforcement, and it can do wonders for your child's cognitive and social development. However, some seemingly positive comments can be harmful for your child. Here are five examples:

1. "Great" or "Good job" or "Job well done"

We often hear parents make generic remarks about a certain accomplishment that their child has made. However, we fail to realize that our child needs to feel that sense of achievement and not just be praised or complimented for formality's sake.

Being more specific by categorically stating what exactly makes you so proud of them can drastically boost their morale. For example, you could tell your child "You have beautiful handwriting," or "I like how you have expressed yourself so well here."

These remarks will tell your child precisely what was it that he/she did well and they in turn will make an effort to stay consistent.

2. "Come on quick" or "Make it quick" or "Hurry up"

Constantly telling your child to hurry up or speed up their progress in whatever they may be doing whether they are having lunch (after a long tiring day at school), doing their homework or tidying their room. You should let your child work at their own pace and do the task at hand in a way that seems most convenient to them.

Pushing your child to get done with something hastily can spoil the matter and even create an environment of stress and panic, making them nervous or irritable. Imagine you doing an extremely important office task and your supervisor is on your head telling you to hurry up. Yes! There you got your answer.

3. "NO! You can't have it because we can't afford it."

Refusing your child something by telling them you can't afford it gives a very negative impression. Obviously you want your child to grow up knowing his limits and not have a habit of spending too lavishly. However, there is a way of going about telling your child the realities of life and how to adopt a practical approach towards life.

Not getting your child his favorite toy due to it being expensive can harbor feelings of jealousy in his heart for his friend who has it. So instead of turning down the demand blatantly and harshly you can teach your child how to budget their money from a young age. This way you will also instill a good habit in the process.

4. "I'm so done with you."

Displaying feelings of being fed up with your kids can develop feelings of loneliness, rejection and may even disturb their sleeping patterns due to a perplexed mind. Knowing the importance of a good night's sleep for your child, you should avoid such sweeping statements that may affect their cognitive health. Your child may go into his/her shell and may lose that emotional connection with people.

5. "Why can't you be like your brother/sister?"

There, there! You've said the ultimate statement that can wreak havoc inside your child. Comparing one of your children to another sibling can be harmful for his psychological and personality development as he/she may feel unworthy or incapable of doing something that will make their parents happy. You may feel that portraying a fellow sibling as a role model can help them take inspiration from, but you may be completely wrong. This is the time when sibling rivalry aggravates and adds fuel to the flames. Children hate being compared to their siblings and it often results in stubbornness and an even further negative attitude.

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The secret to a long and happy marriage is one filled with commitment, compromise, understanding and admiration for each other. Marriage is a marathon, not a sprint. And successfully navigating through the thick and thin of life requires patience and gusto and real love for each other.

Here are some golden rules to follow to ensure you celebrate your golden jubilee together.

1. Be your partner's biggest cheerleader

Care for your spouse. Standing by their side. Be a strong team and present a united front. This will help you handle life's biggest challenges.

Praise, love, cheer, support and encourage each other. Feel lucky to be in each other's company.

Complaining about your spouse's faults is never good for a marriage. If you think your friend can provide a fresh perspective on a specific problem you're facing, discuss it without publicly flaying your partner.

2. Respect each other's differences

If you both share the same basic values, you'll approach most things with a similar perspective. And, if you can handle the big issues together, you'll be able to work through smaller issues when you don't see eye to eye.

Your spouse isn't trying to be difficult; individuals are just hardwired differently. Respect your differences.

3. Play by the rules

In every house there are a set of rules that need to be followed to keep harmony in the relationships.

You may set rules about keeping things in their proper places, who does what or financial management.

Even after a lot of planning, at times, things go wrong and life gets frustrating. Blaming each other only creates rifts and doesn't solve problems.

So, as partners, face the music together and works things through.

4. Forgive and forget

Learning to fight without holding a grudge is key to a happy marriage.

If you're committed to always trusting and loving one another, then you'll have freedom to speak your mind without being afraid.

Learn to be truthful without being hurtful. Think before you speak and do not say anything you may regret later. Do not set verbal traps or play mind games. Say exactly what you mean. Do not hold on to bad feelings toward each other and don't assume anything. Assuming worsens problems in marriage.

Have clear, open communication and remember to never go to bed angry. You'll wake up with a clean slate and a fresh perspective.

5. Don't take each other for granted

Genuinely appreciate your partner's commitment to the relationship. It's two-way traffic. You both need to acknowledge each other's hard work. Honor the juggling act each of you handle to make things run smoothly.

Be happy for the little things in life. Life can be tough when kids are small and dependent, but give priority to your marriage and take time for each other.

6. Respect each other's space and needs

We all need some me time. Pursue a hobby, hit the gym or go on a vacation to visit friends.

Also, be honest and listen to each other. Be present when having a conversation. Switch off all devices and pay attention, even if it doesn't seem to be that important. Compromise whenever possible.

If there are things you prefer to not talk about with other people, that's perfectly alright. Maintain a private journal knowing that it is completely safe to do so.

7. Don't be jealous and don't hold grudges

Jealousy stems from insecurity.

If you know and trust each other, you shouldn't be jealous of an old crush.

And, don't bear a grudge if one of you is more popular and/or successful than the other. Accept each other's strengths and weaknesses.

8. Be best friends forever

Accept each other's imperfections. Nobody's perfect. Take the good with the bad. Stand by each other "in sickness and in health." Fulfill the vow you took years ago. No matter what life throws at you, always be there for each other.

Enjoy doing little things together. The feeling of friendship between you should be mutual. And, even after years of being together, continue to laugh and chill together.

9. Keep the fire burning

It may be difficult to manage work, raising a family and attending to children, so create special moments to reboot the romance.

Your romance may go through stages of "passionate love," "reality love," "nurturing-others love" and "reconnecting-mature love."

Change is inevitable.

Continue to grow together instead of growing apart.

10. Seek help if needed

Marriage should be a nurturing, mutually beneficial thing; and, if at any time, you feel like your marriage is being jeopardized, get help. Seek help from friends, family or, if necessary, professional counseling.

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