For many couples, falling into the trap of having a parent-child relationship with their partner, is a common occurrence and a real problem. The relationship starts out with one person taking on the role of a parent by being caring, nurturing, and doing their duties to their best ability to keep the other one safe, content, and happy.
In the meantime, the other partner naturally ends up taking on the role of a child by being the receiver and never initiating anything first. A relationship like this will easily become boring and plain between partners when there’s no passion, affection, or intimacy.
If you feel that your couple falls within this category then read more and learn about 5 things you can do to change this situation.
5 things you can do when you have a parent-child relationship with your spouse:
1- Communicate honestly and openly with one another:
It’s not uncommon for the spark to fizzle out a bit and let a romantic relationship slowly turn into a parent-child type of relationship. After all, you’re spending a lot of time taking care of your kids and managing your home, and it’s easy to let your relationship with your partner take a backseat.
Regardless of how the relationship changes, it is important to maintain a healthy balance of power and to communicate openly about any changes in roles. By doing so, couples can ensure that their relationship remains strong and supportive.
It’s also important to keep the lines of communication open in any relationship, but it’s especially important in a parent-child type of couple. You need to be able to talk about your expectations, needs, and concerns openly and without judgment.
This can be challenging if you’re the one with the child’s role in the couple, so you may want to encourage your partner to provide you with a safe environment to express yourself freely, before you try to do just that.
2-Spend more quality time together:
Passion is essential in any relationship, especially for a couple that has slowly shifted to a parent-child type of relationship. When the passion fades, the relationship can become stagnant and unfulfilling.
One way to revive the passion though is to simply spend more time together. If the couple has been neglecting their relationship, they can make a conscious effort to reconnect with each other. This can be done by going on dates, taking walks together, or just spending time talking.
For many couples, the arrival of children signals the end of an exciting chapter in their lives. With the demands of parenting, it’s common for couples to find themselves caught up in the daily grind and neglecting their relationship.
Granted; it can be tough to find time for date nights or romantic weekends away when you’ve got kids, but it’s important to make an effort to spend more quality time together. Even if it’s just a few hours once a week, making time for each other will help rebirth the spark in your relationship.
3- Start showing more physical affection to one another:
They say that the couple that plays together, stays together. And while that may sound like a cliché, there’s actually a lot of truth to it. A couple that enjoys spending time together and being openly affectionate toward one another is more likely to maintain a strong relationship than a couple that doesn’t.
So, one of the best things you can do is start to spend your quality time all wrapped up around your partner, kissing them whenever you get a chance, and feeling their skin on yours as often as physically possible. Even if you’re just going for a walk or watching a movie together making sure you’re huging your partner or have your hand in theirs can make a big difference.
So don’t shy away from being playful with one another. Take some time to enjoy each other’s company without the pressures of everyday life. Rediscover the things you loved about each other when you were first dating and let yourselves be silly together
4- Try new things together:
Another way to revive the passion is to try new things together. This can help to spice up the relationship and create new shared experiences and memories. Couples can also try to be more spontaneous and adventurous in their daily lives.
This can help to keep the passion alive and make the relationship more exciting. Ultimately, it is up to the couple to decide what will work best for them.
So go ahead and try new things together, both big and small. Plan new adventures and explore new destinations, both near and far. By making new memories together, you can keep your relationship strong and ensure that your marriage enjoys a lifetime of happiness together.
5- Re-explore each others’ minds and bodies:
It’s not uncommon for the spark to start fading in a couple that has a parent-child type of relationship. After being together for years and dealing with the everyday stressors of life, it’s easy to fall into a rut. One great thing you can do to help yourselves out of this situation is to re-explore each other’s minds and bodies.
This means taking the time to really talk to each other and learn new things about one another. Rediscovering how your partner truly thinks and what their opinions are on matters that don’t relate just to your daily routine and life, can be an eye-opening experience.
You can also learn to find beaut again in the details of their face, features, bodies, and the way they carry themselves. These may be things you’re now fully used to but keep in mind that they can be a source of admiration and even fascination to someone new who finds your partner physically alluring and attractive.
So try to look at your partner with new eyes. It also means getting more physical and comfortable with touching and feeling one another. This could reflect on going on new adventures together as a couple or simply trying out new things in the bedroom. If couples are willing to put in the effort, it’s possible to recapture the excitement and passion of their early days together.
In the end, you can also check this article out on how to help your partner be more romantic so that you can push your partner to meet your efforts halfway. Remember that it takes two to tango!