Keeping relationships strong requires ongoing effort. Couples face various challenges along the way, on top of busy schedules and busy lives. Sometimes it takes a little extra loving effort to keep your relationship fresh. When life gets stressful, it’s important to find ways to cut the tension and reconnect. These fun tips can help keep you and your close while having fun at the same time.
Talk and talk often
Communication is an important aspect of any relationship. Nurturing open communication in a relationship is a skill that often takes time to develop. And communication isn’t just about talking. Listening to your partner is just as important. Remember to have patience with each other as you learn to talk and listen. Heartfelt communication can be shared in a number of ways, too.
Texting, video chatting, and little notes left in fun places all tell your partner you’re there for them. You can keep it light, too! Having strong communication doesn’t necessarily mean serious conversations all the time. Even simple ways of communicating can draw you closer together. You can show your fella you care and keep your relationship fresh with genuine communication.
Play together!
Having fun things you do together is a great way to keep your relationship fresh. Choose a new game and have fun learning it together. The University of Denver’s Center for Marital and Family Studies research finds that the amount of fun couples have together is the strongest factor in understanding overall marital happiness.
Over the coming weeks, why not set aside time every other day to do something fun together. In the home you could try things like playing cards, scrabble or story telling games. Outside the house you could try going bowling, kayaking, climbing or doing an escape room together. Obviously this does take a bit of orchestration to manage as parents but I do strongly feel, where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Surprise him
Nothing shows you care more than planning something for your partner’s enjoyment. Showing your partner that they’re on your mind and you care about their interests goes a long way. Small gifts can be special. You could buy a new book he has wanted to read, or have their favourite dinner cooked when they get home from a long day, or plan a day trip to explore an exciting place. Planning a fun surprise for your partner has an added benefit – you’ll feel happy, too! For more ideas on how to surprise your partner see here.
Make a date – then stick to it
Sometimes busy lives lead to feeling disconnected from your partner. It is important to set aside time throughout the week to unplug and just be together. Even little moments here and there can add up and feel meaningful. Try scheduling a movie night in. You’ll know your bond is growing when you both look forward to that special time spent together. This way you will continually be reminded of all the reasons you are together.
Another thing we love to do is have a night in giving each other a massage. It doesn’t have to be anything too laborious – even giving each other a foot massage can really help you to connect. Did you know that couples who massage each other also have improved wellbeing? We also have a special massage-themed giveaway below which you will just love!
Following these tips can jump-start the connection you have with your partner. Communication and consideration are cornerstones of a successful and happy relationship. Working together with your partner to keep your relationship vibrant can be fun and rewarding. After trying some of these tips, you’ll likely come up with more of your own!
There are some great ideas here
we have date night one a month were we go out for a meal (just the two of us) or the cinema ,you need some alone time when you have children as you can get bogged down with all the kids stuff,one rule we have is we are not allowed to talk about the kids.
To keep our relationship fresh my husband and I take an hour each evening to talk about our days. We get the children to bed and have a conversation and make sure we are on the same page about our parenting life but that we still have time for each other in a romantic life- not just as parents.
Time apart really does make the heart grow fonder! I see my boyfriend at weekends as we live in separate counties, but the last weekend of every month we don’t see each other and have some time to ourselves. It’s really important for us to have space and it makes our time together feel more special
Date nights.
We spend some time each week following our own interests and then talk about it together afterwards.
We never spend any genuine time together. Always struggle for things to do too, love the ideas here
We go to our caravan when we can as that’s when we get quality time together.
Nights away and date nights
Always have time for each other never bottle things up
Leave little loving message around the house so that he can read them x
Date nights
We have a film night and a takeaway
By injecting fun with Little notes, silly texts, date nights and plenty of humour
Talking to each other and listening too… We also put aside one night a week./ fortnight for a night out together,,, Lastly make each other laugh!
Dates Nights, Silly Chats, Suprises
Loves the article ❤ communicating I think is the to any relationship don’t lose that romance either guys!
A night in or out without the kids x
Date nights! At least once a month, just the two of us… good food , maybe a film and chilled night where we can enjoy each other’s company x
No screens nights so no TV, phones or tablets and actually talk.
Date nights without the children
Nights away make sure we get quality time together
Schedule sexy times, and actually out some effort in it 🙂 xx
We arrange to go out for a romantic meal at least once a month x
Making time for just us, even if it’s just on a day off going out for a coffee together!
We always find time to have date nights, chats about our feelings and what we want in the future etc, I absolutely love my relationship and I fall more in love every day!
Setting a weekend every month for date night, my mum has the children, and we just focus on each other, make a spa, massage, movie and cook for one another
we dont have much time for each other atm hubby works nights but hopefully he has asked to go on days so we can spend a lot of quality time together
A night out without the kids or relatives. A romantic evening at a posh restaurant with good wine and food! That way we can have some quality time together and reflect on our relationship and build an even closer bond with one another.
Making a scheduled date, planning in advance to go to the cinema or a meal out, somewhere new
Time apart – special time together – communicating & surprises work for us
I think it is important not to fall into a routine where you don’t make time for your relationship. Since having kids, we have had to schedule time together. We spend one whole day together every other week, leaving the kids with my mum and getting home late. This helps so much with relieving stress and does wonders for our relationship. We spend time talking every night before bed about our days, our problems and the solutions. I also love to surprise my husband with new sexy lingerie which always cheers him up!! Even though schedule is great for parents, I think spontaneous moments and ideas are my favourite!
We make sure that we talk, communicating is so important, if you can share every hope and fear and daily chit-chat things never get dull.
We try and make sure we talk and have a night without any tech, we aren’t brilliant at it but are getting better at trying
Communication is everything in a relationship.
We always try and have a date night and plan a trip out every few weeks to spend some quality time together
We try to have nights away just the two of us. Even just a couple times a year helps us remember each other and our relationship, not just about the kids! Of course we do end up talking about them but we try!
Just asking if he feels okay usually leads to a conversation, which is always the way to go
monthly date nights with each of us taking it in turn to surprise the other, have had some great nights out together
Great ideas ! We struggle as he works such long hours and is si tired when he is home. I do maje sure he has a nice home cooked meal and a freshly baked cake each day though
we have a date night once a week
We talk about anything and everything, we have family nights and date nights and we spoil each other with the odd surprise x
I think date nights are key toba good relationship ️
We always like to plan exciting things for the future so there is always something good to look forward to!
Some great tips here. Love the idea of date night.
I am not in a relationship at the moment but thanks for the tips above.
This was a great read, some great ideas too 🙂
We only see each other once a week at the moment so when we are together we have the best fun x
We always take time to talk and listen to each other, going for a walk together is a good way to spend time together.
Be spontaneous and little notes to make them feel appreciated, also date night once a week if possible where we put folded up ideas in a jar then it’s a surprise and never the same, doesn’t have to cost a lot just quality time together
We’ve been together 20 years now and never spend enough time together, we always plan a date night but life usually gets in the way.
We talk, leave notes, find fun things to share and make sure we laugh together every day!
We enjoy doing the everyday stuff together as well as the sublime.
We keep it fresh by spoiling each other
We make sure we take time for each other every week when I have a day off. We might look round the shops, walk in the woods or even just watch a film, but we do it together
When we were engaged over 50 years ago my hubby said ‘Never let me take you for granted’ Neither of us have. We’ve always put the other one first not in big showy ways but in all the little things that we do for each other to show our love is as deep as ever.