relationships Archives : Me, Annie Bee. https://meanniebee.com/tag/relationships/ A not so serious blog about family, life & wine. Mon, 20 May 2024 11:43:18 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://meanniebee.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/cropped-MABFav-32x32.png relationships Archives : Me, Annie Bee. https://meanniebee.com/tag/relationships/ 32 32 125685776 How to date night as a parent. https://meanniebee.com/2018/06/18/how-to-date-night-as-a-parent/ https://meanniebee.com/2018/06/18/how-to-date-night-as-a-parent/#respond Mon, 18 Jun 2018 13:24:32 +0000 http://meanniebee.com/?p=6578 Date night circa 2008 used to be my favourite night. Rory and I would meet after work, head for a few drinks and maybe watch a film or have a meal. Oh those carefree days! Now that we are parents, date night is centred around the TV in our living room rather than two for one cocktails in town. It’s a very different ball game so I’ve created a five point guide to Date Night as parents. 1 – Put the children to bed  This is the easy bit right? The children are usually in their pyjamas, stories read and in their rooms by 7.15pm. Perfect. Unfortunately, lately they’ve not been going to sleep but at least they can entertain themselves for a while… We head downstairs where I remove all the small trucks boobytrapping the place and Rory gets the ironing board out. Let’s get this Date Night started! 2 – Choose and order food We have an unwritten rule in our house that whoever is ironing wins control of the TV so Rory puts some football on for a while – coincidence? We get the abundance of takeaway menus out to see what fare is on offer. Rory’s attention is largely focused on the football. I keep ruining it by commenting on things like the colours of the football outfits and how much greener the grass looks on TV – in moments like this he appreciates that technology allows him to rewind live TV. I pour a drink while we decide. By about 8.30 we have made a choice and called the relevant establishment to place an order. It has taken us THAT long. 3 – Choose a film This is where we start to fall apart. Rory will put away the ironing and start doing exercises. God forbid he just sit or something. I pour another drink. We decide to see what our subscribed service provider has to offer. When it comes to films we have rather different tastes. Rory likes those mindless action films with Vin Diesel, car chases and big explosions which look super impressive in HD on a larger screen. I much prefer something a little more ‘highbrow’, something with a story-line and subtitles. Or something completely trashy with beautiful people. Combine this lack of agreement,  with constantly running up and downstairs to see what the current child emergency is (not a lost limb as often indicated by the screaming) and the complete lack of usability of the aforementioned service provider it takes an age to trawl through categories including Actors with shoes and Too artsy for it’s own good 4 – Collect food and choose a film some more  30 minutes has passed, we’re no closer to finding a film so Rory goes to collect the food leaving me with strict instruction to find a film and have it ready to go upon his return. After a quick check of Facebook and Twitter, to see what’s occurring in the world, I reply to some messages. I tell the children that everything in the world will be cancelled if they don’t sleep. Rory returns, food in hand and I tell him I just couldn’t find anything to watch. 5 – Admit defeat It’s gone 9pm, far too late to put a film on – it’s almost bedtime for crying out loud! The children are still shouting us for emergencies including, but not limited to, I need my covers putting on and Someone is making a noise outside. We eat and decide we’ll watch a TV series we recorded about 6 months ago and maybe try again tomorrow… And THAT’S how we keep the romance alive in this house! There MAY be better advice out there…highly unlikely but maybe.  

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]]> https://meanniebee.com/2018/06/18/how-to-date-night-as-a-parent/feed/ 0 6578 3 tips to strengthen your relationship. https://meanniebee.com/2018/04/19/3-tips-to-strengthen-your-relationship/ https://meanniebee.com/2018/04/19/3-tips-to-strengthen-your-relationship/#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2018 15:19:19 +0000 http://meanniebee.com/?p=6146 This is a collaborative post.  Let’s face it, keeping a long-term relationship on track can be difficult – especially if you’ve got kids. The good news is, there are some straightforward steps you can take that could have a seriously positive effect on your partnership. So, if you think your relationship is in need of a little TLC, keep reading. The following three tips could help you. Be honest about problems in the bedroom Keeping the spark alive between the sheets is a challenge for many couples who’ve been together for a long time, but it can be impossible if you or your partner is experiencing problems related to sex. In men, erectile dysfunction is a common problem that can get in the way of physical intimacy, while some women find they experience pain during sex. A loss of sex drive is also a common problem that can affect both men and women. Although lots of people experience issues like these, they’re often not talked about because sufferers feel embarrassed or ashamed. The trouble is, if there’s something stopping you from enjoying the physical side of your relationship and you’re not honest about the cause, you risk driving a wedge between you and your other half. There are a range of effective treatments available for sexual problems, so there’s no need to suffer in silence. For example, trusted pharmacies such as Online Doctor LloydsPharmacy offer targeted erectile dysfunction medicines including Viagra. Tackling underlying health issues can also help, and talking therapies can be useful in many cases too. If you or your partner is affected by a problem in the bedroom and you’d like advice about the treatment options, it’s worth booking an appointment with your GP. If you believe you know what the cause of your problems is, then you could also visit a specialised clinic for permanent treatment. For example, if you have determined that your erectile dysfunction is caused by low testosterone, then you could book an appointment with an ED Clinic Houston or one local to you to get the problem resolved.  Spend quality time together   Between work, looking after the kids and running your household, you and your partner might struggle to squeeze in quality time with each other – but it’s really important to make an effort. Even if it’s just once a fortnight, make sure you clear a space in your schedule to relax and enjoy each other’s company. Whether you go for a meal, catch a movie or simply take a stroll somewhere nice, this should help you to reconnect. If you have kids, arrange childcare for a few hours so you can have some space just for yourselves – and try to steer clear of conversation topics like money and chores.  The whole point is to focus on each other and have a good time. Make unexpected gestures To make sure your other half feels appreciated, consider making unexpected gestures from time to time. For example, why wait for birthdays or Christmas to give a romantic gift? A surprise present is bound to put a smile on their face and make them feel valued and loved. From preparing a candle-lit meal in the middle of the week to booking a surprise mini-break, there are a whole range of ways you can wow that someone special – and you can spend as much or as little money as you like. Showing you care like this can help to put the magic back into your relationship and bring you closer as a couple. There’s no denying that keeping a relationship strong can be a challenge at times, but following suggestions like these can be a big help.

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