While adding immeasurable joy and laughter to life, children can place a strain on modern relationships. When the majority of households are composed of two working parents, time and energy can be hard to come by. After a long day of work, household responsibilities, and childcare, making time for marriage can be quite a challenge.

Schedule Time

Try scheduling dedicated partner-time for strengthening your marriage and creating a more positive connection with your spouse.

As unromantic as scheduling sounds, it is an important and beneficial way to ensure that you’ll have some time each week together. Talk with your spouse and schedule time without the kids, even if it’s just 30 minutes or an hour a week. Get a babysitter, or simply make an area of your home off-limits to the kids for a short time. Your scheduled partner-time can be as simple as a cup of coffee at the kitchen table together or a full-scale date night out. Knowing that there will be a little adult time just for you and your spouse can be a great motivator. No matter how busy things get, stay committed to your scheduled time together.

Change The Conversation

During partner time, focus on topics outside of the regular day-to-day discussion. Consider making some stressful topics, like money or childcare, off-limits for the duration of your scheduled time. Choose enriching topics such as memories, goals, and favorite activities. Suppose you need help getting started on topics. In that case, there are many helpful books available that offer conversation starters and discussion games to play with your partner. Whatever the subject, use the scheduled time to fully focus on your spouse.

The Benefits

Partner-time and making time for marriage has several benefits. It provides an opportunity to enjoy your spouse fully, without the pressures of daily life interfering, if only for a little while. It creates an atmosphere of appreciation and enjoyment for you and your partner to build on. You may notice some of the things that first attracted you when you met. Partner-time is an excellent way to strengthen the foundation of your marriage and create the long-lasting mutual appreciation, respect, and affection that defines a healthy marriage.