When you become a parent there is a shift in your relationship, and you go from being a couple to being a family. With this change, many parents find that they don’t have as much time to spend together as they used to.
Up to 46% of two-parent households also work full time to help bring up their children, and that means that time for dates, and leisure activities together is limited – 86% of Moms and 81% of Dads say that they always feel rushed and 41% say that they experience burnout frequently.
When you are a couple bringing up a child, it is important to still make time to spend together – this is what cements your relationship.
That time in each other’s company will help to maintain the bond that you have going into the future.
Schedule Regular Dates
Before having children, going out for dinner, or to see a movie may have been a regular occurrence that didn’t involve many degrees of planning.
When you have a child, a date night takes a little organization, but never be put off by this. Call on family or friends for a couple of hours, or get a babysitter and spend some time relaxing and reconnecting.
You could try a fun couples activity like going to a spa and enjoying a massage together. This can be a wonderfully rejuvenating and refreshing way to spend your date.
Having a date with your partner may take a little more effort to organize when you have children, but that time you spend together is essential and will be a great reminder of why you enjoy each other’s company.
Hop Into Bed For a Chat
If you have a baby or toddler, spending time together in bed, just cuddling or having a chat is a luxury.
You may find that your sleep is regularly disturbed, or you’re woken up frequently by a baby monitor, ready for the next feed, or diaper change.
Your bed often stops being an intimate place where you can express yourselves and becomes somewhere where you simply get some much-needed sleep.
Even if it’s just for ten minutes here and there, or during your little one’s nap time, hop back into bed with your partner and talk through your day and your feelings together.
Move Away From the Screens
According to research done by Data Reportal, we spend on average 7 hours and 11 minutes a day looking at screens. Many couples find that they spend their limited free time sitting on the couch scrolling through their phones or looking at tablets.
When you have some free time together, make a conscious effort to leave your phone elsewhere in the house, and commit to spending time together away from the passive activity of looking at screens.
Becoming a parent adds a different dynamic to your relationship as a couple, and it might not always be easy to find time together.
But in relishing the simple moments, a meal in a restaurant, or half an hour to talk about your day, you can maintain the important bond that you have together.