The happiness and satisfaction that partners find in a marriage can have a great effect on the way they raise their children. Family and child development studies consistently show that parents who are unhappy or dissatisfied with themselves or their lives are hampered in being effective parents. It is difficult to muster the enthusiasm and energy required for adequate parenting if you are unhappy or troubled. It's hard to attend to the needs of others in a warm, caring way if your own needs are not being met. Another important way in which the marital relationship affects children is by providing a model of the male-female relationship.
Children learn how men view women and vice versa by observing their parents.
The way parents behave towards each other teaches their children about gender identity - about how males and females differ and about what is or is not appropriate to do simply because one is either a male or female. In effect, for the sake of your child, you must put your marriage first. This does not mean you should neglect your child or pamper your spouse. But in any marriage, it is a misfortune for the children as well as for the parents if the parents do not love each other as much as or more than they love their children. The children will someday have to lead their own lives and it may prove difficult for them if they have always been given first place in the family.