I just saw this brief article in the New York Times about a couple of recent studies that back up something that my wife and I have learned in our time together: Your relationship with your significant other can be strengthened by doing new and interesting things.
Most studies of love and marriage show that the decline of romantic love over time is inevitable. The butterflies of early romance quickly flutter away and are replaced by familiar, predictable feelings of long-term attachment.
But several experiments show that novelty — simply doing new things together as a couple — may help bring the butterflies back, recreating the chemical surges of early courtship.
While a predictable evening in front of the TV or a cozy meal at a familiar restaurant have their place in a healthy lifestyle, you really do have to break the monotony from time to time. It's easy to spot local opportunities for this: museums, parties, a rock concert in a local bar, a picnic. The great thing about it is these don't have to be expensive or heart-stoppingly amazing.
This may not seem like parenting advice at first, but it's important to recognize that having mom and dad feel happy and fulfilled in their lives is good for the family as a whole.
1 comment:
It stinks waking up to an obviously sick baby and realizing that you are going to have to skip work to spend the day with your leaky little sweetheart, but I think it is even more unfair when your baby wakes up in a fantastic mood and you realize that you have to take your smiling, giggling, little darling to the daycare ladies while you have to go to stupid work.
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