Threats to caregiving marriages can loosen the emotional glue that keeps couples together. The second chapter of Sharing Love Abundantly in Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages® for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities discusses seven threats that are unique to caregiving spouses and partners. Here’s a quick run down of what’s on the list.

1. Time constraints. As in the time required to care for our kids doesn’t leave much time for connecting with a spouse.
2. Financial strains. Medical bills. Doctor appointments. Therapy sessions. Adaptive equipment. Who has money left over for date nights or babysitters?
3. Guilt and grief. Parents love their kids with special needs. Even so, they grieve the loss of the child they thought they would have and may feel guilty about their grief.
4. Isolation. Medical conditions, behavioral issues, and crazy schedules make staying home with kids easier than going out with friends. The more we say “no” to invitations, the fewer invitations are extended. We end up isolated together and overly dependent on one another.
5. Geographic separation during treatment. My husband stayed home and work while our son and I spent much of his first 3 months at a hospital 750 miles away. It’s an all-too-common scenario for caregiving spouses.
6. Worry about the future. We worry that our kids may die young. And we worry about who will care for them if they outlive us. That’s a lot of worry.
7. Lack of support. While extended family, friends, and church family have good intentions, they often have no clue of how to support us. We don’t have time or energy to educate them, so they support us less and less. It’s a vicious circle.

What a depressing list of threats to caregiving marriages! Dr. Chapman and I wrote Sharing Love Abundantly in Special Needs Families to encourage you as you invest in your relationship. Chapter 2 ends with a look at the Hebrew word hesed. Hesed is a merciful, intentional love that intervenes on behalf of loved ones and comes to their rescue. The next two installments of this series are all about how parents can use the love languages to practice hesed with a spouse or partner. You can also Or you can purchase the book at your favorite bookstore or on Amazon if you want to learn about how to fight these threats to caregiving marriages before then.

Other posts in this series:

The Love Languages and Special Needs Families: A Good Combination

Basic Love Language Concepts to Ease Stress and Increase Joy in Caregiving Families

Fostering Communication and Connection Between Caregiving Parents

Love Is a Child’s First Language

Determining the Love Language of a Child with Special Needs or a Disability 

Ways to Speak Words of Affirmation and Quality Time to Kids with Special Needs

Speaking Healthy Physical Touch to Kids with Special Needs

Using the Love Languages with Siblings of Kids with Special Needs and Disabilities 

Extended Family Members Can Use the Love Languages to Encourage Caregiving Parents

Communicating Your Child’s Love Language to Medical Professionals

Communicating Your Child’s Love Language to Educators 

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