This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of 20th Century Fox. All opinions are 100% mine.
“Having children can make two people feel closer than they could have ever imagined. It can also put strains on a marriage – and other key relationships – that can cause that sense of closeness to radically change or even disintegrate.”
~ The Mother’s Guide to Self-Renewal by Renee Peterson Trudeau ~
Is Your Relationship with Your Partner a Priority?
As a working mother of two little boys, I have to admit that my relationship with my husband is not always my priority. I want it to be, but if I’m really honest with myself, I know that is not always the case. At the end of the day, after we worked, picked up the kids, cooked dinner, played with the kids, got the kids in bed, cleaned up the house, and paid bills, we are often exhausted and choose to chill on the coach together watching Survivor or Lost instead of physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually nurturing the connection between us. Do we have our moments? Yes. Can we do better at nurturing our relationship? Absolutely.
<See pictures of me and my husband, wedding photos included.>
How To Nurture Your Relationship with Your Partner
In the Mother’s Guide to Self-Renewal, Renee Trudeau shares things you can do to help foster and nurture the connection between you and your partner. Later, during The Mom Renewal Project, I will try each of her ideas and blog about my experiences.
- Schedule (and keep) regular dates.
- Nurture yourself first, so you feel like giving to your partner.
- Touch each other every day.
- Create a bedroom that celebrates your marriage.
- Develop some ground rules or learn some tools for communicating with your partner.
- Connect every day for at least ten minutes.
- Go away alone together for the weekend or at least for twenty-four hours.
Start This Weekend
If you are a mom, I challenge you to intentionally nurture your relationship with your partner this weekend.
One idea is to get a sitter and go out for an engaging and fun date night. If you can’t find a sitter, can you swamp sitting services with some friends? For my next date night, I am planning on connecting with my husband over dinner at Moto Restaurant (recommended by Chicago social media expert Kim Moldofsky) and checking out Steve Carell and Tina Fey’s new Date Night Movie, which opens on April 9, 2010.
Based on the Cinema Blend review, it’s about a married suburban couple attempting to take date night off auto-pilot, and hopefully adding a little spice into their lives. But their date night goes awry, as they embark on a wild series of crazy adventures to save their lives…and their marriage.
Check out the trailer below and let me know if you see the movie this opening weekend.
This is Your Moment
Let us know in the comments section what you are going to do to nurture your relationship with your partner this weekend!
If you are interested in sponsoring a post or exploring other advertising opportunities with The Mom Renewal Project, please contact me stacey@createabalance.com.
Thanks for the shout-out, though I consider myself a student of social media, not an expert. Great tips. It’s so easier to lose site of spousal relationships when kids are in the picture (not to mention Twitter….). Love this series!
.-= kim/hormone-colored days´s last blog ..Happy Hi-tech Passover =-.
First of all, Kim is a social media expert. But enough about that!
I am all about date night; it has been our custom since our first son was born 7 1/2 years ago. We do it every, single weekend, and it is really important to both of us, especially because we both have demanding jobs and sometimes don’t find time to really connect during the week. I always look forward to it (even though it does not feel as much like an escape from the kids as it did when they were toddlers).
I like your project, Stacey! Have you read Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project? I think you would like it — it seems to share some common ground with your renewal project, which is very cool!
.-= Hollee´s last blog ..I Didn’t Mean to Become a Homeschooling Mom — But I Love It =-.
Stacey,
Great post. I was in a position where my wife and I had allowed our relationship to change for the negative after our little girl was born. Our relationship was not the priority it had once been and it took us separating to find it within ourselves to forgive one another (and ourselves) and let go of the past before the passion sparked again.
Great tips, Stacey, as usual.
Regards,
Darren
.-= Darren Sproat´s last blog ..Social Media Brings Easter Joy To My Family =-.
kim/hormone-colored days – Yes, twitter and other social media treats also take time away from our hubbys.
Hollee – Thanks for sharing your date night success story. I’m off to check out the Happiness Project.
Darren – Your honesty is inspiring. Cheers to the renewed passion you found with your wife.
Stacey –
Boy did I need this reminder right now! I remember a few months back reading the relationship chapter in Renee’s book and being very inspired to take some time to reconnect. And I’m pretty sure that same week my middle son got sick, my garage door broke and I probably had a toilet or two to scrub and presto – months have passed and we still haven’t had our special time together. Thanks for the reminder. I’m going to ask my guys out for some yummy Indian food!