An important step to building a strong marriage is to consistently set aside time with your mate. Unfortunately, we allow ourselves to become so busy that we don't make it a priority to spend uninterrupted time with our mates.Want some advice? Get alone. Find some time to get away together on a weekly basis.
Barbara and I have kept a Sunday night date for years. If someone invites us to do something else that night, we politely tell them no. We need this time to look at our schedules for the coming week or month, to talk about values, hassles, kids and how we can succeed in our marriage and family. It's also a time to enjoy each other's company.
Also, set aside daily time to get alone and talk. I'll never forget a couple of friends telling us, "Just wait until you have teenagers. You'll see." Boy have we seen! They come trooping into your bedroom at 11:00 or 11:30 at night and they want to talk! And they don't think anything about it.
You've got to shut the door and train your kids to leave it shut. Otherwise you will never have any private conversation for a husband and wife, let alone romance. This is download time-to talk, discuss and reconnect.
A third thing Barbara and I do a couple of times a year is get away for two nights-away from the children, away from TV, away from the hustle and bustle of life. This is a time to refresh and review our values.
One of the most important gifts you can give your kids is the gift of being committed to your spouse. And believe me, it is awfully hard to be committed to one another when you don't make the time to have a relationship.