Life gets busy, and it’s easy to assume your spouse just knows you appreciate them. But here’s the truth—love and respect aren’t just automatic. They have to be nurtured, built, and spoken into existence. One of the simplest (and most underrated) ways to strengthen your marriage? Saying thank you and showing appreciation.

As parents, we often feel the weight of responsibility to shape our children’s behavior. We want them to be kind, respectful, and responsible, and many of us were raised with the understanding that correction is the primary way to achieve that. Proverbs 22:6 tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” But how often do we pause to consider how that training should take place? Is it through strict discipline alone? Or is there a deeper, more transformational approach?

Kia Gutierrez is a marriage and family therapist, writer, and mother passionate about strengthening emotional connection in families. Through her work she offers encouragement and practical wisdom for parents and spouses navigating the everyday challenges of family life. With experience in therapy, ministry, and advocacy, Kia brings both professional insight and personal experience to her work. She believes the small, unseen moments of love shape generations—and that no one should have to walk this journey alone.