When you have a family, it’s natural to make your kids your number one priority and most parents do that unquestioningly. However, it’s also important to be mindful of the other ‘glass balls’ in your life, such as your spouse and the relationship that you share. It’s you being together that’s the reason you have a family, after all.
All too easily, couples can get caught up in the daily routine, making sure that the kids have everything they need, from extra-curricular activities to well-organized birthday parties. Then there’s work which pays the bills and keeps the roof over your heads, as well, hopefully, as bringing some satisfaction and fulfillment to your life at a personal development level. It’s sometimes hard to ensure that your relationship doesn’t suffer because of everything else that’s going on. Some of us can slip into a pattern of sharing a house but not really sharing a romance like we did when we first fell for each other.
So, how can you inject a sense of romance back into your relationship, or make sure that the loving relationship that you started out with doesn’t dwindle because you begin to take each other for granted, while still enjoying a strong family life with the kids…? Try out some of these romantic ideas to keep your connection to each other strong and special.
Date night
It may sound like a bit of cliché but a regular date night is actually a great way to separate out some couple time on a regular basis. Of course, it will depend on your childcare options, but if you have a babysitter or willing grandparent to take the kids one night a week/fortnight/month, you can make that time together with no distractions possible. Go to see a movie, go out for dinner or even just a long stroll in the countryside. It doesn’t matter what kind of date you have, it’s being together that matters.
Reminisce
Reliving romantic moments from the early days of your relationship is a lovely way to remind each other of why you ended up together. Dig out a photo album from those early days, or watch any home movies that you made back then. A trip down memory lane is a great tool for remembering what’s important in life.
Appreciate each other
Family life can be hard work and it can sometimes feel like you’re doing more than your partner to hold the ship together. Many couples divide up household duties such as the cleaning, cooking or gardening, but there’s a danger of one of you feeling you do more than your share. Surprise your partner one day by doing one of those chores that they get tired of doing – just to give them a break from it and let them know you appreciate what they usually do.
Make plans together
With parenthood, the future focus often becomes about the kids; their education and what they will do with their lives. But don’t forget that the two of you have a future too. You might not be able to go on that trip to a far-flung destination just now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t dream about it and make plans towards it happening in the future. As well as thinking about the time when the kids have flown the nest, also make plans for fun things you can do together now, both with and without the kids, in order to make sure you still have plenty of good times along the way.
Photo Credit: 1, 2, 3
