How did your parents communicate & its effect on your marriage?

My spouse and I grew up with VERY different communication styles. And I wonder if anyone has had success bridging the gap?


My best example, how did your family read the Sunday paper when you grew up and/or what makes your Sunday enjoyable?


My husband and his family grab parts of the Sunday paper, scatter to different tvs, and ';relax'; in their separate rooms until dinner.


My family read the Sunday paper in the same room. If we found an interesting article, we'd share the article with the others and discuss our opinions.


Has anyone successfully merged two different communication styles (learned from our parents) AND be healthy role models to our children?


And what is ';normal'; communication in your family?How did your parents communicate %26amp; its effect on your marriage?
...sadly we hardly talk, just like my parents before the divorce!


yNOT?How did your parents communicate %26amp; its effect on your marriage?
Wow. You guys are lucky. My dad wouldn't ever talk, and my mom is very micro-managing. They probably had settled into a low-argument arrangement very early on.





Me and my husband, we talk about EVERYTHING! It's like we're best friends, even though we've been together for 3 years, and have a 19-month-old. I hope the communication never slows down.
My husband's father died when he was very young so he didn't see how a marriage works.





My parents were in love and married for 45 years before my Dad died.





My parents were loving and respectful toward each other.





They had arguments.....but no yelling....and we saw them solve the problem and move on.





My parents marriage has helped me to have a good marriage.
Normal is what every one is comfortable with. We have different ideas, but I do like what your family did and I would communicate to the family that this is a god thing and would they like to try it with input from all.
both of our parents were very distant and didn't like communication as much as dictatorship and control on my side and being friends and not parents on his side. For some reason, the negatives of our pasts have made both of us long for something different. We started out this relationship by talking for 6 straight hours and haven't stopped since. We communicate often and 'knew' all of our stands on 90% of the issues before we ever got married.....so, while we change daily, we continue to communicate....so there is an implicit trust and understanding. I can mumble....hum....give a look....or do nothing at all....and 99% of the time he knows exactly what I am thinking. I would start takling immediately.....and listening.....our marriage works b/c he is literally my best friend....and I his. There is absolutely nothing kept from one another and no huge blow up arguments. When we fight, it is about resolution....not being right. I don't know if those things matter to everyone, but I couldn't imagine having a better husband or friend than I have.