I get a lot of emails from people who describe their marriage as "loveless. " Many ask for advice as to how to survive in such a marriage. And, overwhelmingly, the people who send these emails cite their children as the reason that you are continuing on in this way. Simply put, they do not want for their children to grow up in a broken home. married too young They would rather have themselves be somewhat unhappy and unfulfilled than to hurt their children. This is understandable and admirable. My parents divorced when I was 14. The pain of this event has stayed with me past my adolescence and, in many ways, has affected my adult relationships. So, I understand not wanting for your children to go through this sort of pain and loss. But, what many people do not realize is that it is possible for everyone in the family to be happy. You don't just have to just accept your marriage as something that is loveless but lasting. It is certainly worth a try to change the dynamics of your marriage and to return the love. I know for certain this can be done as I have seen it happen countless times and have experienced this myself. Understanding That A Loveless Marriage Can Also Be Detrimental To Your Children: I understand that many folks in a loveless marriage feel like they are doing this all for the sake of their kids. And, grated, I don't think that many people would argue that avoiding divorce is the right call. But, some experts will tell you that children would rather come from a broken home than a home that is broken. I'm not entirely sold on this. As a child of divorce and from knowing countless people like myself, I can tell you that most of us wish that our parents had found a way to work things out. With that said, no child should grow up in a home where there is so much drama and fighting that the child doesn't feel safe or secure. However, this is usually not the case in the emails that I get. In fact, there is often not all that much fighting. Things are usually quite cordial, but not loving. People will often assume that so long as the home is stable and without drama, staying together is optimal for the kids child marriage. This could well be true, but demonstrating a marriage without mutual affection, attraction, and love is likely not the marriage that you would like to model for your children either. When your children marry and begin to set up their married life, there is likely no question that you wish for them to be happy and in a mutually loving relationship. If this was not modeled for them, they might grow up thinking that a marriage devoid of these feelings is normal or acceptable. This is likely not what you want for them. Everyone deserves to be happy and fulfilled in their marriage. You, and your children, are no exception child marriage. Of course, the great irony of all of this is that you're making these sacrifices for your children. But, in the process, you might be demonstrating what you don't want for them. You want for them to know what a mutually healthy and satisfying relationship looks like and how it functions and this of course, is a catch 22. Deciding To Change The Landscape Of Your Loveless Marriage: Prioritizing Your Own Needs And Happiness: I find it very common that people in this situation are in the habit of putting their children (and the needs of those children) first in their line of priorities. This is admirable and understandable. But, you deserve to be happy too. And your children deserve parents who love each other as much as their children. I have seen these loveless unions turn around time and time again. But, the first step in this is accepting that the two of you need regular time together away from your children in order to reignite some of the spark and to rediscover what drew you together in the first place. Often, when I begin to allude to this, people will say things like "you don't understand. There is nothing there. We just don't love each other anymore. I can't even imagine spending regular time alone with him. " In response, I will often ask if things were always this way - even in the beginning. Because, I'm always skeptical that someone would chose this kind of relationship when dating. Usually at this point, the person will admit that things were in fact quite different in the beginning. But, somewhere along the line, something was lost and they fear that there's no way to get it back. I firmly believe that you can get it back. I have done this in my own life. I can't tell you that it's always easy. But, most of the time it's possible. It's sometimes a gradual process and sometimes you have to take baby steps. But, if you are determined and try to make very small improvements on a repetitive basis, you will often find after some time that your marriage isn't as "loveless" as you once assumed. Often, the perceived lack of feelings is the direct result of incorrect perceptions, getting into bad habits, of forming habits of neglect. Very often, bringing back awareness and efforts can begin to change this. Yes, it can feel awkward and vulnerable at first. But this is your family we are talking about. This is your life (in which you deserve to be happy, I might add. ) It's my experience that there's no reason that you can't be happy within the family that you already have. Yes, it's going to take some work and some changes, but I know first hand that it can be done.