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Resolving Conflict in the Marriage

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YOU DECIDE: RESOLVING CONFLICT

You Decide: Resolving Conflict- Three Guidelines
Melsidra Reese
Marriage and Family - SOCS 315
Professor Gomes
06/01/2015
DeVry University

Introduction
In this assignment I will be applying three positive solutions to resolve family and marital conflict. What we have is a married couple who have recently had a new baby girl; the baby is now three months old and the mother Leonora feels that she is ready to go back to work to finish pursuing her career. The husband Joshua has heard what his wife wants to do but feels that she should wait until their daughter is school aged and able to attend kindergarten; he also feels that the cost of daycare would be too expensive. Leonora is very upset by this and fears that she would have to start her career over if she waits five years, also Leonora has expressed that it would be difficult to live off one income. As a result there is tension and stress in the relationship and rejection is settling in.

Guidelines
The first step to work towards resolving this problem is for Joshua and Leonora meet in a public setting so they can establish a more respectful attitude and voice while stressing their individual thoughts; communication is the first key to better understanding each other in a relationship. Having each other’s undivided attention will ensure that they both can come to a rational point in generating optional decisions. The most common thoughts that comes to mind when individuals are faced with conflict is to find a way to win the fight at hand, but Joshua and Leonora have to learn that they are no longer two but one with a child and they have to fight fair. According to Gottman (1994a, b), fighting, whether rare or frequent, does not have to be destructive, issues and conflict are a part of life and in order to survive in relationships couples must be able to discuss the

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