We’re sat here in silence. Too tired to really speak about anything. We’ve done the conversation about how our days were; quickly as we moved around each other in the kitchen; tidying, sorting dinner, cleaning up. We’re both tired. Well aware of the fact that we were up before six once again. That from then it’s been constant; play, work, eat, sort. Bedtime has been and gone and it’s just the two of us once again. Sat in our own little worlds.
We’re on edge tonight. We bickered throughout the day about various things. I got mad with you about something that wasn’t even your fault. Probably. You did that thing where you sighed as I vented my frustrations. You were trying to help. You hadn’t meant to annoy me. You didn’t think. And all it does is push that grumpiness further. Go back to work, I bite, wanting the opposite but knowing if you stay much longer we’ll argue properly.
It feels like we do that a lot at the moment. We bicker. We sigh. We sit there in silence letting our frustration build before one of us lets it out. I say one of us but we both know it will be me. I’m not capable of keeping it in. It feels like I’m not capable of much these days.
Every time it happens, I feel sadder. I feel further away from the relationship that we used to have. From the person that you fell in love with way back when. Sometimes it feels like I imagined what it used to be like. Before the tiredness. Before the endless list of jobs. Before the stream of distractions. Back when we had time to just be.
That’s the problem with parenthood. It’s made us into someone else. I’m still me and you’re still you, deep in there. But on top of that there’s someone more important. Someone who demands our energy and focus. Someone who has made our lives amazing. Someone that relies on us. And when he’s not there, he’s still present. He’s the topic of our conversations, the noise we’re constantly listening for, the subject of our plans, fears and excitement.
Our best conversations these days are conducted via text. We always say we’ll spend more time together, discuss it later at home but we know that we won’t. That it’s too hard to maintain a longer conversation with a toddler there. That when he’s awake, we want to be giving him the focus. When he’s asleep, we lapse into a comfortable silence wanting to zone out, enjoy the quiet… sleep.
I know we should make more effort with one another. We both know that. Rather than sniping at each other we should take the time to really talk, to get some of that elusive quality time together. The lack of that makes us less tolerant of each others foibles and whilst we remain a strong parenting team, there are times when I feel lonely and distant from you. The nights where we used to get into bed together and dissect the day have been replaced with separate bedtimes; me asleep long before you come up, both of us trying to balance tiredness with a need for some quiet space.
Are we too tired to be married anymore? I know it isn’t the case. That in amongst the demands of parenthood, there are snatches of the people that we used to be. The interest in each other, the affection, the jokes. That this is just a stage in our lives, that there will be times when it is harder and there will be times when it’s easy. That we will come together and stretch apart at various stages. That noticing it is half the battle. I just didn’t realise it would be this hard.
Tonight, we’ll go to bed like normal. We’ll lie there in the dark listening to the monitor. I’m sorry you’ll say and I’ll whisper it back, knowing that right then, things are okay.
14 Comments
Thank you for sharing this. It is good to know that other couples who have a child of a similar age to ours are experiencing the same issues. We are stronger together and they will not insist that they are the centre of everything for the rest of our lives, maybe! It is hard.
We have strong willed children, who get it from their parents! We work, we care for and this isn’t always felt like it is reciprocated.
There is also the little one on board to consider! You’re doing a great job, everywhere, it’s hard to juggle all of the balls… relationships seem to have to take the back seat just to survive the day sometimes. We’ll all get there, this is the hard part xx
It’s so much easier said than done though isn’t it? I worry we’ve forgotten how to talk about anything else these days!!
I figure ultimately, we’re setting a good example to our son when he’s awake. And we’re all allowed to have downtime. Just so long as there are brief flashes of our relationships in there then we’ll get through.
I could have written this – its so true
Thanks Sam. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who goes through these phases x
Relationships and parenthood together are hard. They take constant work and the minute you stop working at it, is when it starts to unfold x
That’s what we need to make sure we find the time for – ensuring we put aside the time for our relationship!
This is really so true, it’s really hard to have such a shift in a relationship, it’s nice to know that there are others who experience this too.
I’ve found it really refreshing to see how many other people have experienced the exact same thing!
Relationships are so difficult when you are a parent, I find we hardly talk about personal things anymore, we are so busy sorting the baby, cooking, tidying, then we are tired! Then the next day starts, it’s tough!
Time goes so quickly as well I find!! I’m dreading what it will be like with another little one around!
A great post – thank you for sharing. More often than now we can get a little lost in our relationships due to other demands – its hard work!
It’s hard prioritising something that isn’t shouting at you (like a child!) or isn’t broken until it’s a bit too late sometimes! Determined to give it a bit more focus.
This is so true, I’m not even married yet but have been with my other half for 14 years. Pre children we were young, free and passionate. Fast forward 6 years and we are in the same position as you, we always say we need to spend time together and make more effort but when we try we are met with little people taking over and they come first. Great post Hayley thanks for sharing.
It goes so quickly though, I think we’re always guilty of just not spending enough time on ourselves full stop when you have kids. I take my husband for granted and vice versa, in reality it’s always going to end up like that unless we invest a little back into ‘us’