7 Fun
Ways to Reconnect with Your Spouse After a Deployment
Being a military spouse is
never easy. When the military deploys your spouse, you become a single parent
who needs superpowers to run the household and take care of the children. It’s
exhausting, and the thought of losing your husband or wife weighs heavy on your
mind—not to mention the lack of emotional connection and the absence of your
spouse’s physical presence.
When they come home from
a tough deployment, they’re as eager as you to reconnect. We’ve put together a
list of fun ways to reconnect with your spouse after they return from a long
deployment. So, greet your spouse confidently as he or she walks through the
door and drops their ditty bag and life-saving LAPG
tactical gear because you’ll have
entertaining ways to strengthen your relationship.
1. Honeymoon
A mini vacation is a
favorite for many people because getting away brings back fond memories of
other special times together. It allows you to focus on your relationship and
the love you have for each other. Try to get away even if it’s just for a
weekend.
Sometimes going on
vacation after deployment is tricky, so, if you can’t, pretend you’re a tourist
where you live. Have a romantic candle-light dinner at home or out at a
restaurant and go on a long walk. Plan a picnic in the park. It’s critical to
cherish each moment spent together because you never know which deployment will
be your spouse’s last.
2.Reconnect with Memories
Use old photos to make a
timeline of all your favorite memories as a couple. Talk about how you first
met or your wedding day. Where was your first kiss? If you live close to the
place where you first met or got married, take a trip to that location to bring
those memories to life.
You probably don’t live
close to those locations but walk down memory lane the next time you go home
for a visit. Couples with busy lives can grow apart over time. It takes effort
to remain committed to each other. Reminiscing helps you see what attracted you
to each other in the first place. Rekindle the romance and recommit to your
life as a couple.
3.Take a Cooking Class
Relationship experts say
that cooking
together helps you reconnect because it allows you
to work as a team. Calphalon sponsored a survey around 2016 that Lightspeed GMI
conducted on how cooking influences a couple’s relationship.
The survey asked
approximately 1,000 adults aged 18 and older what they think about cooking and
relationships. Eighty-seven percent of those people said it’s one of the best
activities to strengthen a relationship. The study illustrated that couples
highly value communication and cooking together fosters excellent
communication.
No matter what stage of
their relationship the respondents were in, they all agreed that cooking
strengthens relationships via communication. Around 92 percent of those
surveyed also said that preparing food for your significant other is an
incredible way to show them that you love them.
In fact, eating
separately from your husband or wife can damage your relationship. It sends a
message that you aren’t a team, and it can cause conflict. So, take that
cooking class or even cook a meal at home listening to your favorite music with
your mate.
4.Have a Pajama Party
This activity comes from
licensed family and marriage
therapist, Robyn D’Angelo. She
suggests that you put on your favorite music and get some of each other’s
favorite food and treats. Most importantly, don’t talk about what type of
pajamas you’ll wear to the pajama party. This activity would be a great one for
when the kids stay at a friend’s or family member’s house.
5.Create Mystery Dates
Take turns planning a
mystery date. This activity requires you each to pay attention to one another’s
ideas about exciting places and activities, and then incorporate those ideas
into the mystery date. For example, maybe your soldier mentioned a mountain
town that they’d like to discover. Find a unique place to have lunch there and
plan some activities that he or she would love like hiking or zip lining.
Make sure that you take
care of all the details, such as finding a babysitter or paying for
attractions. Keep the date a secret but tell your partner what to wear. This
activity engages your empathy muscles while you design and plan fun activities
that you’ll enjoy as a couple.
6.Create a Jar of Activities
Another fun exercise to
help you reconnect with your soldier is for each of you to create a jar filled
with different seasonal activities that you would love to do, such as kayaking
or tubing. Write each idea on a piece of paper, fold it up, and put it in the
jar. Each time you want to do something together, take turns drawing an
activity out of each jar.
Susan Lager, licensed
psychotherapist and self-help author, created this activity to bring couples
closer together. She said that you could also spice things up and use the same
process for physical touch. With this exercise, it's critical to honor each
other’s fantasy in a safe and exciting way.
7.Find a New Hobby to Do Together
Maybe he likes to hunt,
and you’d rather do creative projects. Sit down and discuss your different
favorite activities, and then find common ground between them. You can usually
even find a connection between active and sedentary hobbies. Figure out an activity
that factors in things that both of you like.
For instance, perhaps
take up hiking or walking in the woods. He can look at animals through a sturdy pair of LAPG
binoculars while you take pictures
for a scrapbook or unique photo album.
Reconnecting Requires Effort from Both Sides
Reconnecting takes
effort from you and your military spouse, whether it's staying in and cooking
together or going on a new adventure in a new town. In today’s busy world, you
may have to schedule times to reconnect in your hectic life. It's worth the
time and effort to strengthen your relationship so that you can be a more
successful couple, as well as better parents.
Meta Data: Reconnecting with your spouse after they return from deployment
can be difficult and takes time. Here are some fun ideas to reconnect and grow
stronger as a couple to enhance your relationship. There are even ideas for
partners with diverse interests.
Thank you for this guest post: Mark Hedman, CEO of LA Police Gear, LA Police Gear lapolicegear.com
Thank you for this guest post: Mark Hedman, CEO of LA Police Gear, LA Police Gear lapolicegear.com
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