We know from the research that marital satisfaction takes the biggest nosedive after the birth of the first child.  What we don’t often hear from anyone is how children can also allow you to forge a much deeper bond with your spouse. The person you parent with is often the one person who understands and shares the fierce, protective, generous love you have for your children.  As stressful as parenting can be, I think it can also allow a couple to grow closer in some pretty amazing ways.