Black Love Couples Spotlight: Meet The Watts
1) How long have you two been a couple and how did you meet?
We’ve been together since middle school… we met at a private school, well we’ve known of each other but never actually spoke mainly because we weren’t allowed to. Until a school camping trip where I hit her with a snowball. (Donald)
We've been married for 5 years after 18 years of dating and cohabitating. We met on a school camping trip in 1998 at age 13 in the 7th grade. We had both been shipped to the Muslim school on 3rd for authority & discipline issues.
During the trip, Donald hit me with a snowball while I was talking to my friends. To this day, I still don’t know why. As you can imagine, I was pissed. I took off chasing him all over the campsite. Never caught him. (Kelly)
2) What is your secret to making your marriage work?
Compromise, respect and understanding. Support each other no matter what it is. (Donald)
Don’t make permanent decisions during temporary emotions. Discernment is key. (Kelly)
3) What was the biggest misconception you had about marriage? What do you know now?
Biggest misconception that I had was that I would be under ball and chain with zero freedom. But the reality is that its just gives you a purpose and goal and makes you commit as a man. (Donald)
I didn’t have any concepts about marriage. I hadn’t been around any successful marriages growing up, so there was nothing to conceive. I knew I wanted a healthy, strong family, but marriage wasn’t a goal.Not sure I know much more about marriage now than I knew then. We’re still creating our concept of marriage together. (Kelly)
4) How did you both know that the other was "the one"?
I can’t speak for him. For me, it was on the bus ride home from the camping trip where we met. I saw a glimpse of him in the mirror and a little voice said, “you love him”. That day I went home and told my mother I had found the father of my children. I spent the entire rest of my childhood chasing him in every way shape & form lmao. (Kelly)
I knew she was the one when she was the one by my side through the ups and downs I found myself maturing and bettering myself to keep up with the high expectations of me. She pushed me to do and be better. (Donald)
5) What is the best advice that you would give to other married couples? To singles hoping to get married?
To married couple’s communication, understanding and clarity is the best way to keep a marriage going. To singles make sure that your partner is 100% willing and committed to do whatever it takes to make it work. (Donald)
Someone once said to me, “I want what y’all have a 50/50 relationship, financially, emotionally, and physically.” That’s the trap. Marriage is rarely 50/50. It’s usually a dice roll of who’s going to give it a little bit more this time, while the other is being an ass. (Kelly)
Donald & Kelly Watts are the owners of Study Smart Insights. Please visit their site at https://www.ssinsights.org/ and support!