Reconnecting As A Couple When You Both Start To Feel Distant

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Many couples go through phases of feeling distant. Any conversations you have may feel like small talk and there may be little to no physical intimacy. You might see each other every day and still share the same bed, but the spark may be missing.

If you’re currently going through this phase, don’t be alarmed – your relationship isn’t over. By both realizing the problem, you can take measures to stop the two of you from drifting apart. Here are just several ways to find closeness again.

Share old memories

By reconnecting with the past, you may remind yourself of things that the two of you once admired about one another. Find time to share old stories and go back through old photos. You may even be able to revisit places that you went on your first dates.

Try new experiences together

If reliving the past doesn’t work for you, you could try making new memories by trying new things together. Variety is the spice of life – by breaking out your routine and trying new things, you may discover new things about one another. New experiences could include travelling to a new place together, trying new foods together or trying a new activity together such as ice-skating or wine tasting or kayaking. You can research into new date ideas online. 

Create joint goals

If you haven’t got any joint goals to work towards, you could consider creating a goal to help bring you together. Often when couples get married, they feel they have no more joint goals to achieve, but there are so many other goals you can think up such as making travel plans, saving up to move or even planning an epic anniversary party (you could even renew your vows – although if you’re feeling distant, this may not feel right).

Consider the option of counseling

If you need help opening up to each other, you could consider looking into counseling. You don’t have to be on the brink of divorce to consider counseling - some couples find it to be a useful process when dealing with small problems. There are many different counseling options out there including online marriage counseling. There are also counsellors that can come to your home.

Take a break to reconnect

Sometimes you need to get away from each other to realize the things you appreciate about each other (as the phrase goes: ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’). This could be particularly the case if you spend most of your time together. You don’t have to ‘break up’ to test this out. Instead, you could both plan separate trips away with friends. Or if you have kids, one of you could take a break away with the kids while the other stays at home. 

What to do When You Think an Elderly Relative Has Hearing Problems

If your parents or grandparents start showing signs of hearing loss it can all be very difficult to know what to do. You want to help them but it’s not always clear how and it’s something that can cause you difficulties and issues in your relationships with them. It’s especially difficult if this is a touchy subject for them and they’re very dismissive of it. Here are some of the ways to contend with the issue better.

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Be Patient

First of all, you need to try to be as patient as you possibly can be with them. Being patient will allow you to deal with them better and prevent them from feeling frustrating or isolated, which is something that often can happen for people who are dealing with hearing loss problems. Getting frustrated with them over something they can’t control definitely won’t help at all, so keep your cool and be understanding about what they’re going through.

Encourage Them to Seek Help and Get Treatment

It’s a good idea to encourage them to seek help from someone, even if this is something that they seem quite resistant to. Help them to learn more about how effective treatments can help and make it clear that there’s nothing to be concerned about. If you support them through this, it’ll help a lot, and they should feel more comfortable about heading to the doctor to get the assistance they need.

Understand Their Reservations

You should try to see things from their point of view and understand any reservations they might have about getting help for their hearing. Of course, your aim should still always be to ensure they get the help and treatment they need, but that’s easier to do if you can understand their concerns and reservations. It’ll help you help them more effectively going forward.

Be Accommodating to Their Needs

Sometimes, you need to take steps to accommodate them and their needs better. It’s not always easy to do this but when someone is suffering hearing loss, they will need you to change certain things. Maybe you can start using visual ways of communicating more often and you might have to speak more loudly in certain situations to help them understand you better.

Reduce Background Noise When Communicating

Finally, you should think about how you can reduce the background and environmental noises around you when you’re trying to communicate with your loved one. Think about how that excess noise might stop your relative from people able to hear and participate in conversations. You might not realize it, but background noises make things really tough for people with hearing loss.

Dealing with the health problems that your elderly relative is experiencing can be tough. But if you stay patient and do what you can to help them get the professional help they need, you’ll be able to get through it and make the situation better for them than it would otherwise be.

Helping Your Parents Enjoy Their Retirement Years

The relationship we have with our parents goes through several different stages. First, they look after us. And then, in adulthood, it becomes more like a friendship. And then, when our parents are in their retirement years, we have to work with them to ensure that they’re as happy and content as we can be. While it would be convenient if this was just something that we could let run on autopilot, the truth is that we always have to do our bit. In this blog, we’ll take a look at a few useful tips that’ll help you ensure that your parents are happy.

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Three Ways to Ignite Your Child's Love for Learning

Children are little sponges, soaking up anything and everything. And while the time you spend with your child is something that nothing can compare to, they will also benefit from time away from home and interacting with others. Here are three ways you can open your child's life to that enrichment.

Choose a Program

Your choice of schooling will likely be dictated by your family's overall situation. But it's important to understand the types of early childhood education, and how they're different. There are wonderful programs that educate without it really feeling like school, such as the Montessori approach. Checking out options for preschool Redmond Wa can give you an idea of what to expect from this type of learning environment.

Head to the Library

Chances are you have a local library that does a regular weekly storytime for children. Have you made that part of your routine yet? If not, you should! It's a great way not only to interact with others, but to learn basic social skills such as sitting quietly, following directions and waiting patiently. A trip to the library also means checking out books — and lots of different books at home encourages a love for reading early on.

Let Kids be Kids

It can be helpful to schedule activities and plan out each day, especially if you have a young child. But sometimes the opposite is more beneficial. During a playdate, do you sit back and let it flow, or do you become a third wheel? Children thrive on independence and can learn a whole lot just on their own. Encouraging that is important. Know when to step back and just enjoy watching your child self direct.

Throughout your parenting journey, remember that this classic saying rings true. "It takes a village to raise a child."

Preparing for Your First Indoor Rock Climbing Adventure

The earth is full of stunning landscapes, so why not view them from new heights? Rock climbing is a popular and exhilarating activity in the Colorado area and in all mountainous regions of the world, and you can learn how to safely and effectively climb in an indoor gym before approaching rocky terrain. Prepare for your first “climb on” with these tips:

Learn the Be-Lay of the Land

OK, the “land” here refers to exploring indoor rock climbing Denver from the comfort of the gym. Before you start climbing, you will learn how to safely belay a climbing partner, and your partner will learn to secure you on the rope as you ascend.

A climbing facility is surrounded by various walls and routes for climbers to tackle; these typically include high walls for top rope (the typical “climb up and reach the top” activity) and lead climbing (more advanced, clipping in your own rope as you climb), and walls for bouldering, which may not require a harness or safety rope. Bouldering incorporates a certain route outlined to challenge the technique of the climber, scaling shorter formations up to 6 meters high, with safety mats below to cushion any falls.

Grip Some Gear

A climbing gym typically has rentable equipment available for your use. Indoor shoes should feel snug on your feet with no socks on, so you may have to ask for a lower size than your normal shoe. The tight fit with no extra room at the tip of your toes can help you grip the footholds with all sides of your feet, or “edging.” Adjust your safety harness (or ask for help from an employee) so it fits your waist, hips, and legs properly. You can also ask for a chalk bag, which can connect to your harness, so you can apply the dust to your palms to reduce the chance of a sweaty slip of your grip!

Elevate Your Fitness

Great climbers must possess strength, endurance, and flexibility to be able to effectively scale steep, challenging mountains and walls. You can prepare for a successful first wall-scaling experience by trying exercises recommended for rock climbing. Mental clarity is also vital, as you need to think through difficult holds and bouldering sequences and concentrate on engaging the right muscle groups. Successful indoor rock climbing is a perfect mixture of technique and athletic ability.
Now that you have taken steps to prepare for your climbing experience, you can visit your local facility to practice, practice, practice! Soon enough, you will be ready to ascend the great rock formations around Denver and beyond. Whether indoors or out in the nature, get ready for an adventure that truly rocks!