Comments on: jon & kate: breaking the silence

By: Carrie

Carrie — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:15:04 +0000

This is a great post. Hubby & I are just starting to go through a marriage book called “Love and Respect” which focuses on the man’s innate need for respect from his wife. And I think it’s so important to remember that we need to work on ourselves, and not on the other person when there’s a problem.

By: Marla Taviano | Christian author and speaker » Blog Archive » letting the guys off too easy?

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:05:29 +0000

[...] do want to continue the discussion but take it down a slightly different trail. Ali was the first one to say, “Hey, why [...]

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 03:37:19 +0000

Well, I’m not commenting on that show because they already get enough press, I’m not feeding them. But I’ll never forget my mom not letting us watch Everybody Love’s Raymond when I was younger. When I asked why, she said they are trying to convince you its ok for the mom to make fun of the dad and berate him in front of his children. Wow, what a witness, I have never forgotten that.

By: Morgan

Morgan — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:41:20 +0000

Jon and Kate should have stopped the show a long time ago. If they wanted to make it work at all, they would have put the fame aside.
Also, so many shows these days make light of women disrespecting their husbands, making them seem like idiots. I just look forward to being married one day and finding a partner. Although, I know I will have lots to learn. Luckily, I do have some amazing role model relationships in my life to look at ( Including yours Marla!) Thank You!

By: Lisa R-p

Lisa R-p — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:26:00 +0000

Marla,
Interesting post — I find it interesting and am trying not to be offended that all the focus is on Kate and women respecting their husbands. By no means am I saying I think that Kate appeared to be kind, gentle, and nice to Jon. The issue for me is one of mutual respect between husband and wife, being an example to one another and to others. Focusing only on the behavior of the woman without expecting accountability to the man for the same, changes the focus of this discussion to be about power and control vs. respect, compassion, and partnership.

By: Meg @ Spicy Magnolia

Meg @ Spicy Magnolia — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:13:12 +0000

Thank you for this post, Marla! This is something in my life that God is specifically working in me on; I love my husband so much, but I tend to disrespect him, particularly when I’m not getting my way. Such an important topic for us women! And praise the Lord He can change us, wants to change us, and will not give up on us!

By: becky

becky — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:51:20 +0000

In addition to this phenom…is the silence of our men….we are all pretty broken that’s for sure…

By: krisco

krisco — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:32:15 +0000

So….anyone borrowing that book you just read??? *cough* Maybe somebody in Kentucky might be interested in it. *cough*

I feel so terribly for the kids because they will one day google their parents and see this mess played out all over the internet. They’ll see their dad mingling with other women while still married. They’ll see their mom disrespecting their dad on National Television.

Another thing cause I forgot to comment before. What I like to read about in your blog is what’s going on in your heart. Nothing too intimate or personal but just what you are willing to share. I’ve known you for over a decade and I like what God does in your heart and it encourages me to see God moving when you share.

smooches

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:22:50 +0000

I wonder what their relationship was like before the “plus eight.” Because there are days with “plus two” where I can begin to treat Wes like a dimwit just because I’m stressed and need help. Not that I’m right to do so and not that Kate was right for doing so, but I really want to believe (especially now that Jon is proving to be such a tool with his poor choices as a grown man and father of eight children) that Kate once treated him with respect back when she wasn’t wanting to pull her hair out.

But who knows? I stopped watching the show when they announced their separation. I wish they would stop production completely and focus all their energy on trying to save their marriage.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:14:41 +0000

OOOh, I have lots to say about J and K and it’s hard to keep it to myself sometimes. We watched Jon’s interview the other night and I thought many of the same things you did. It makes me so sad for their kids-they’ve both been terrible examples in many ways.

I haven’t always been good about showing respect to my husband, to his face or behind his back. I never realized how important it is until I’d been married a few years. Respect is the ONE thing (well, sex too) that my husband says he must have to be happy in our marriage. When there’s genuine respect the other healthy things come naturally for both of us.

I read those chapters in your books and they’re right on. One of the things I always did with couples in pre-marital counseling is talk with them about mutual respect and honoring each other with their words. A marriage can’t succeed with it.