If you're married, you've heard this one: "Don't go to bed mad at your spouse."

Were that in fact true, both of us would have had to remain sleepless for the entire month of October 2007 (the month of the Kitchen Project From Hell).  Luckily, turns out it's not.

The article talks to marriage experts about the biggest myths out there about marriage and parenting.  The whole "Don't go bed mad" thing? It turns out that if you are both tired (and perhaps are ready to stab each other with a spackling knife) and there's no resolution in sight, it's actually wiser to go to bed, even in different rooms, than to keep fighting on. A decent night's sleep and some time away from each other, and you can see the problem with fresh eyes.

Two other myths that are of interest: "Having a baby brings you closer" (does anyone actually believe that one? If so, you must tolerate pregnancy and the first few months of new parenthood better than anyone I've ever met) and "Don’t fight in front of the kids." Calling your spouse unkind names in front of your kids isn’t a good idea, nor is having a screamfest, but airing disagreements in a fairly calm manner actually models to kids that you can work through conflict with someone you love without damaging the relationship.

Another great one?  It's okay to take your spouse for granted. It's actually a sign that you've developed a high level of trust. Appreciation is important, but it's okay to take it for given that one person always gets dinner on the table or the other person lets you sleep late on Saturdays.

And guess what else? More sex, especially when you're parenting and rarely get alone time, is always a good idea.Whoo!



Photo: cnn.com