Marriage After the Death of Your Spouse

Remarrying after the death of a spouse brings both joy and complications.

Remarrying after the death of a spouse causes surviving widows and widowers mixed feelings. On the one hand, it surprises many that they can love again. On the other hand, surviving spouses have more to consider than they did the first time they were married.

Background

Many people find moving on after the death of a spouse difficult, according to the National Institute on Aging. They feel awkward going out without their spouse or they feel inadequate to take of the things their spouses once did, for example.

Identification

According to Remarriage.com, remarrying after the death of a spouse is more common among men than women.

Considerations

Guilt about remarrying is common among widows and widowers, who feel as if they are cheating on their dead spouses, according to I Do Take Two.

Significance

Widows and widowers bring a different set of expectations and experiences into a second marriage, according to the I Do Take Two website. The healthiest course of action for people who are remarrying involves allowing all the grief associated with the death to be played out.

Expert Insight

Children, whose surviving parent plans to remarry, often find it difficult to deal with their mother's or father's upcoming marriage. I Do Take Two advises parents to give their children time to adjust to the idea.

References

• National Institute on Aging: Mourning the Death of a Spouse
• I Do Take Two: Widows and Widowers-Dating and Remarriage After the Death of Your Spouse
• Remarriage.com: 65 and Older and Remarriage

Resources

• Two of Us: Preparing for Remarriage