Pay attention to the little things

Jessica Chivers, author of MothersWork (Hay House), saysWe Time with partners is vital if we want to maintain a good relationship.

“Broadly speaking, when two people are spending time in each other’s company, they pick up on the little things that person is happy or unhappy about,” says Jessica, coaching psychologist and founder of The Talent Keeper Specialists (www.talentkeepers.co.uk).

“The more quality time you spend with someone, the more attuned you become to their needs and feelings. Yet because we have busy lives with our work and children, we are losing the connection that brought us together in the first place.

“Deciding how much time you and your partner want to use asWe Time is the first stage. We Time doesn’t have to be a lot of time – it can be something as simple as eye contact with your partner and a hug when you get home from work. Greet your partner first, then say hello to the children and the dog. For some couples, it could be a whole day at the weekend, while for others a date night once a month is enough to keep the connection strong.”

Once we have regularWe Time with our partners established, Jessica recommends we plan another type ofWe Time – with our children.

“It’s about doing something that tells the children you value quality time as a family,” she says. “Sit round the table and discuss what you’d like to do at the weekend. Make it fun for everyone, or maybe a challenge that you can all get involved with – learning a new sport or trying a new restaurant or doing a long-distance walk, for example. If you plan it properly, you’ll come away from yourWe Time feeling exhilarated, and your relationships with your partner and children will be richer for it.”