Raising a family can put a big strain on your relationship. Let’s face it, nothing can drain the romance out of a partnership quite like night feeds and endless piles of washing. However, there are things you can do to help keep the connection between you and your other half strong. For example, the following three steps should make it easier for you to enjoy a healthy, happy relationship.
1. Be honest about problems in the bedroom
You can’t expect to always want to tear your partner’s clothes off, especially if you both tend to fall into bed at the end of the day tired and desperate to catch up on some much needed sleep. However, if there’s a specific problem getting in the way of the physical side of your relationship, it’s important not to fall into the trap of trying to ignore it. Sexual problems are much more common than many people realise. It’s thought that as many as a third of women experience issues like pain during sex and a loss of desire, while the majority of men experience erectile dysfunction at some point in their lives.
There’s no need to let these problems stop you from enjoying intimacy with your partner. By being open and honest with each other, you can avoid any misunderstandings and look for effective treatments. Your doctor should be able to give you all the information and advice you need. Depending on the cause of the problem, they may recommend lifestyle changes, medical treatments or talking therapies. Treatments for a range of conditions are also now available online. For example, men can buy tadalafil, an erectile dysfunction medicine better known under the brand name Cialis, from reputable pharmacies over the web.
2. Make time for each other
Between work and family commitments, you and your partner might struggle to spend time together, and when you do finally steal a few minutes, you might be too tired or preoccupied to make the most of them. Eventually, this can really start to take its toll on your relationship and if you’re not careful, you might find yourselves drifting apart.
To stop this from happening, try to rethink your priorities and make more space for each other in your schedules. Whether it’s taking a trip to your favourite restaurant or enjoying a film at the cinema, or even in the comfort of your lounge after the kids have gone to bed, spending some quality time with each other could help you to reconnect.
3. Be open but reasonable about things that annoy you
It’s easy for resentment to creep into relationship. Negative feelings can build up over everything from a lack of trust to your partner’s approach to money or the way they do - or don’t do - household chores. If you want to stop resentment from eating into your relationship, it’s important to be open and honest with your other half about what’s bothering you. This is much healthier than trying to bottle it up. Just make sure that when you raise any issues, you do it in a calm and reasonable way, and you’re prepared to listen to their take on the situation.
Also, try not to overreact if your partner opens up to you about something that’s annoying them. Being prepared to make compromises and see things from your other half’s perspective should help to make you a stronger couple.
If you’re really struggling to keep your relationship on the right track and tips like these don’t seem to help, you might benefit from couples counselling. Talking therapies don’t work for everyone, but some people find them to be a big help.
