Hobbies and Vacations

1. What are your favorite hobbies and activities?

2. What interests do you and your partner have in common?

3. Are there certain activities you would rather do without your partner, spending some time apart?

4. Do you have any hobbies that are quite expensive or time-consuming, that your partner will probably not participate in?

5. How do you like to spend your vacation time?  Are there particular places you would like to visit?

6. When on vacation, do you like to plan every detail (a predetermined itinerary), or do you go wherever the spirit moves you that day?

7. Do you like camping in the great outdoors, comfortable hotels, a motorhome, timeshare houses, or crashing with friends?

Pets

1. Do you want or have pets?  If not, skip this section.

2. Which animals make good pets?  Why?

3. Does your pet sleep in your room?  On your bed?

4. If there is a fire, and your pet is still inside, do you go back in to look for him?

5. Who is (primarily) responsible for feeding, walking (dogs), brushing, bathing, and cleaning up after the pets?

6. Who watches your pet while you are at work, or on vacation?

7. How do you handle a house full of fleas?  Excrement in the corner?  Urine in your shoes?  Cat puke in your bed?  (I have experienced all of these.)

8. What behaviors are unacceptable in a pet?  Can you get rid of your pet if he becomes destructive or dangerous?

9. How much money would you be willing to spend on your pet's medical care?

10. When should a pet be euthanized?

11. Who takes your pets to the veterinarian?  Who makes the decisions regarding any medical procedures?

Children

If neither of you wants children, you have completed the test.  If one of you wants children and the other doesn't, you just failed the test.  Don't get married!  If you both want children, carry on.  More marital arguments are sparked by children than any other issue, including money, so these questions are even more important than the ones you have already answered.

When You Were a Child

1. How were you raised?  What did your parents do that you liked or didn't like?  What aspects of their parenting will you try to emulate?  What will you do differently?

2. How did your parents discipline you?  Was it effective?  Counterproductive?  Harmful?

3. What did your parents say or do to show love?  How did they build up your self-esteem?

4. How did you interact with your siblings?  Did you play together often?  Did you fight?

5. Describe a typical evening meal in your home.

6. Describe some early memories.  Do you remember what it was like to think as a child?

7. What things really upset you when you were young, or even in your teens?  What things frightened you?

8. What were your responsibilities in the home?  When did you start doing your own laundry?  Cooking some of the meals?

9. Did your parents place a premium on education?  Did they make sure homework was done, and offer assistance when needed?

10. How pervasive was the TV?  What shows did you watch growing up?  How many hours a day?  Was it often background noise, or did it hold your attention?  Were there arguments over TV viewing?