Mike Smith:
My guest this week is Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, author of the book Love and Respect, and founder of the national Love and Respect conferences for husbands and wives. Dr. Eggerichs, thank you for joining me on the program this week.

Dr. Eggerichs:
Been looking forward to it, Mike.

Mike:
Oftentimes, one parent is devoted to homeschooling, and the other parent is working, or they are both working and teaching the kids. How can homeschool parents maintain a healthy marriage relationship in all this?

Dr. Eggerichs:
Well, Sarah and I homeschooled for many years and one of the key answers there is by scheduling time to be alone with a spouse—in the same way, for instance, we might schedule time for math or spelling with the kids. We had kind of a pattern after dinner in the evening. Sarah and I would shut the bedroom door. And we’d spend 15, 20 minutes alone just talking—you know, about our day, even though the kids sat outside the door waiting and not infrequently whining. But that time, and this is what’s so interesting, actually I believe, produced greater security in our kids than their good grades. When we spent time alone, away from them, that actually affected them more positively than the successes they experienced in homeschooling.

Mike:
Well, thank you, that’s very helpful Dr. Eggerichs. And until next time, I’m Mike Smith.