The Importance of Being A Good Roommate In A Romantic Relationship

Our relationships call for a variety of skills to stay connected and on track with our partners.  I believe that one aspect of a healthy relationship requires that we also be good roommates for our partners.  What does it require to be a good roommate to our romantic partners?  One important skill is to develop solid communication skills.  While communication is a very broad topic, more specifically what I mean is the need to set aside time to actually communicate about the activities of daily family life.  I refer to these as couple check-ins.  Finding the time for a check in may be easier on the weekend; but the day you choose doesn’t matter nearly as much as actually following through with the dedicated time.

Topics to discuss during the weekly couple check-in can include:

• Discussing kids schedules, behavioral concerns, school requirements, and agreeing on how best to manage these.
• Upcoming work commitments for each partner: travel, early mornings/later evenings, future work opportunities.
• Shopping/Cooking/meal preparation responsibilities for the week.
• New or unexpected family financial obligations.
• Agreement on who will plan the next date night.
• Schedule the next check-in.

Try it for a month to see how it can benefit your relationship.

Dr. Anne Malec

Symmetry Counseling