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class="col-article__date"> <time>June 1, 2026</time> </div> <div class="col-article__subtitle"> <span > <div class="rich-text "> Far from being a hindrance, children offer spouses unexpected ways to deepen their love </div> </span> </div> <div class="col-article__byline"> <span>By Philip Kosloski</span> </div> <div class="col-article__date-mobile"> <time>June 1, 2026</time> </div> <section class="col-article__featured "> <figure class="image-block-wrapper"> <picture><source srcset="https://files.kofc.org/images/assets/Couple+With+Baby.jpg/c30fa506592b11f19b722234702b72b8?width=900&height=506" /><img src="https://files.kofc.org/images/assets/Couple+With+Baby.jpg/c30fa506592b11f19b722234702b72b8?width=900&height=506" alt="A couple dotes on a baby." loading="eager" class="img" decoding="auto" width="900" height="506" /></picture> <figcaption class="caption"> <div class="rich-text "> ljubaphoto / E+ via Getty Image </div> </figcaption> </figure> </section> <section class="col-article__content-rich-text"> <div class="score-rich-text-block default default"> <div class="content-area "> <div class="rich-text "> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">When a couple<strong> </strong></span><span class="s2">gets married, they also face the decision of whether to accept children lovingly from God. Many young couples today are hesitant, fearing how children will affect their marriage. They may think that children will somehow weaken their relationship, diluting the love that initially brought them together.</span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">There is no question that children add a new dynamic to married life. Yet the reality is that children can actually bring spouses closer together and unite them in a bond that is stronger than before. Children are a blessing, one that can help a marriage rather than hinder it.</span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s3">Part of how children can deepen a married couple’s love is by the way small children prompt spouses to make deliberate choices to spend time together. Early in our marriage, my wife and I had five children, all 5 years old or younger. Babies and toddlers require a great deal of time and attention, and we were often worn out from all the running around we had to do each day.</span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">Nevertheless, we made our marriage a priority and carved out specific time each day to spend with one another and to deepen our relationship. We simply had to be deliberate about it; otherwise, we could easily be swept up by all the needs of our children. Weekly date nights away from the kids also helped strengthen our bond, reminding us that in order for our family to thrive, our marriage had to be as strong as ever.</span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">What may seem surprising to some people is how much married love grows over time. I love my wife more today than I did on the day of our wedding. Children are a big part of that equation, bringing us together in ways we never could have imagined. </span></p> <p class="p3" style="text-align: center;">*****</p> <p class="p4"><span class="s2">PHILIP KOSLOSKI writes for <em>Aleteia</em> and is the founder of Voyage Comics. He and his wife, Maggie, live with their six children in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., where he is a member of Msgr. Reding Council 1558.</span></p> </div> </div> </div> </section> </section> <section class="col-article__related-articles bg-colorExtraLightGrey"> <section class="article-card-block container"> <section class="article-card-block__title content-grid"> <h1 class="article-card-block__title__text grid-col-full text-left">Related Articles</h1> </section> <section class="article-card-block__cards content-grid"> <div class="article-card"> <div class="article-card__image"> <a href="/family/marriage/2026/05/weathering-the-storm/"> <picture><source srcset="https://files.kofc.org/images/assets/Marriage+Stress.jpg/Zz00ZjQ2MDgzODNmZWQxMWYxYjAxMzRlMWRmNTAwODU3Nw==?width=318&height=212" /><img src="https://files.kofc.org/images/assets/Marriage+Stress.jpg/Zz00ZjQ2MDgzODNmZWQxMWYxYjAxMzRlMWRmNTAwODU3Nw==?width=318&height=212" alt="A married couple looks stressed on a couch." loading="lazy" decoding="auto" width="318" height="212" /></picture> </a> </div> <div class="article-card__details"> <div 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</div> <div class="article-card__details__by-line"> <p>By Soren and Ever Johnson</p> </div> <div class="article-card__details__teaser"> <p>During this holy season, Mary and Joseph invite us to follow God with open-hearted trust</p> </div> <div class="article-card__details__teaser-mobile"> <p>During this holy season, Mary and Joseph invite us to follow God with open-hearted trust</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="article-card"> <div class="article-card__image"> <a href="/family/marriage/2025/11/spousal-sandpaper/"> <picture><source srcset="https://files.kofc.org/images/assets/Domestic+Church+Marriage-GettyImages-1490765582-sRGB-small.jpg/f3d341a8b0ec11f096474ebbc80d9d2d?width=318&height=212" /><img src="https://files.kofc.org/images/assets/Domestic+Church+Marriage-GettyImages-1490765582-sRGB-small.jpg/f3d341a8b0ec11f096474ebbc80d9d2d?width=318&height=212" alt="Domestic Church Marriage-GettyImages-1490765582-sRGB-small.jpg" loading="lazy" decoding="auto" width="318" height="212" /></picture> </a> </div> <div class="article-card__details"> <div class="article-card__details__category"> <a href="/family/marriage/"> <h3>Marriage</h3> </a> </div> <div class="article-card__details__title"> <a href=/family/marriage/2025/11/spousal-sandpaper/> <h2>Spousal Sandpaper</h2> </a> </div> <div class="article-card__details__title-mobile"> <a href=/family/marriage/2025/11/spousal-sandpaper/> <h2>Spousal Sandpaper</h2> </a> </div> <div class="article-card__details__by-line"> <p>By Stephen Colella</p> </div> <div class="article-card__details__teaser"> <p>Marriage, like anything of great value, takes faith, hope and a willingness to lose our rough edges</p> </div> <div class="article-card__details__teaser-mobile"> <p>Marriage, like anything of great value, takes faith, hope and a willingness to lose our rough edges</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="article-card"> <div class="article-card__image"> <a href="/family/marriage/2025/08/iron-sharpens-marriage/"> <picture><source 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class="article-card__details__teaser"> <p>Being part of a Catholic men’s group can strengthen your vocation as a husband and father</p> </div> <div class="article-card__details__teaser-mobile"> <p>Being part of a Catholic men’s group can strengthen your vocation as a husband and father</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="article-card"> <div class="article-card__image"> <a href="/family/marriage/2025/07/marriage-makes-men-of-us/"> <picture><source srcset="https://files.kofc.org/images/assets/DomesticChurch_JulyAug2025_FYM.jpg/Zz05ZDExNzFjYTVlN2UxMWYwOWIyZGEyYTkzYzk5OWEyMQ==?width=318&height=212" /><img src="https://files.kofc.org/images/assets/DomesticChurch_JulyAug2025_FYM.jpg/Zz05ZDExNzFjYTVlN2UxMWYwOWIyZGEyYTkzYzk5OWEyMQ==?width=318&height=212" alt="The Three Caskets (oil on canvas) by Robert Alexander Hillingford (1825-1904), Christie’s Images via Bridgeman Images" loading="lazy" decoding="auto" width="318" height="212" /></picture> </a> </div> <div class="article-card__details"> <div class="article-card__details__category"> <a href="/family/marriage/"> <h3>Marriage</h3> </a> </div> <div class="article-card__details__title"> <a href=/family/marriage/2025/07/marriage-makes-men-of-us/> <h2>Marriage Makes Men of Us</h2> </a> </div> <div class="article-card__details__title-mobile"> <a href=/family/marriage/2025/07/marriage-makes-men-of-us/> <h2>Marriage Makes Men of Us</h2> </a> </div> <div class="article-card__details__by-line"> <p>By Joseph Pearce</p> </div> <div class="article-card__details__teaser"> <p>The measure of true manhood lies in the willingness to give up one’s life out of love </p> </div> <div class="article-card__details__teaser-mobile"> <p>The measure of true manhood lies in the willingness to give up one’s life out of love </p> </div> </div> </div> </section> </section> </section> </main> <div class="jump-to-top-btn"> <button type="button" class="scrollToTopBtn"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" 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