1) MONEY: There is a popular saying in the world of relationship: “No money, no honey! No finance, No romance!” Money is very important in a marital relationship. Nevertheless, many couples owing to lack of financial intelligence allow money to tear apart their marriage relationships. For the sake of trust, there should be transparency and accountability.
2) SEX: The frequency, the place, the duration and styles of sex has caused serious conflicts among married couples in our present society. This issue if not properly handled with wisdom can lead to extra-marital affairs.
3) RELATIVES: Poor and unacceptable relationship to parents, in laws, brothers and sisters and other relatives. A relationship that ignores, disregards and persecutes the other spouse. This may include releasing family secrets to relatives, sending money or property to parents or siblings without involving your partner. Allowing too much freedom to relatives to get involved in your family matters.
4) POOR COMMUNICATION: Communication is the life-wire of every relationship. When spouses do not talk out their mind, do not express what they feel, need, think or know, crisis and conflict are inevitable. And when one talks he or she is not communicating but commanding, directing or informing, problem is in view.
5) CHILDREN: Conflicting parenting instructions and methods of discipline also cause conflict between couples. How to discipline children, the type of food they should be given, things they should or should not know or see, especially in TV programs and other parenting issues.
6) SCHEDULES: Inability to give your spouse adequate attention owing to tight schedules can cause conflict in your marriage. The challenge of coming home late and leaving early among the working class, without creating time for each other.
7) FRIENDS: Having people with questionable character attached to a spouse, people whose marriages and families are in shambles, people who are really poisonous to any good relationship can cause conflict.
8) DOMESTIC CHORES: Many couples, not planning for what they should do at home, the wife mostly is saddled with the responsibility of doing every house chores while the man is just loitering and roaming around. This has been one of the major causes of conflict in many homes.
9) BAD HABITS: One spouse has habits which are irritating to the other, and the individual does not see the need for adjustment or wish to change. Unteachable spouse is a big challenge in marriage.
10) EXPECTATIONS: Unrealistic expectations and unreasonable standards and demands have led to marital breakdown. This may be financial, social, education, religious or even sexual.
11) PERSONALITY CONFLICT: Inability to manage the personality traits of the other spouse can lead marital disintegration. Lack of understanding the temperamental weakness of one’s spouse and adjusting accordingly has left to conflicts in many marriages.
12) FAMILY BACKGROUND: Ofcourse, marriage is covenanted by two people from different family backgrounds. They will certainly have different experiences, different opinions, different perspectives, etc which if not properly managed can lead to serious conflicts.
13) DIFFERENCE IN CONVICTION & PASSION: When the couple has different religious convictions regarding sensitive issues eg one believe in tithe and the other does not, their union is bound to have some conflicts. If a Sabbath keeper marries a Sunday keeper or a Christian marries a person who practise no faith in God, it may lead to conflict and even crisis.
