Marissa Nelson

Let's do something that we've always dreamed about doing.

The other person might say they're running, you know, like that meme with all the calculations around them.

We forget that in the absence of these conversations that many times we will turn it inward.

Or we will make stories and say, my partner doesn't want to spend time with me.

When sometimes it's just about more effective communication.

It really is more about, hey, this is what I need.

I just want to check in.

I just need an hour to myself.

I'm going to go do a walk.

I'm going to call the parents or the kids or whomever.

And then I'll be back and we'll spend time together so that we're prioritizing self and us at the same time.

Are you doing cooking classes?

Are you doing activities together that are bonding?

I just want to know how you are connecting while you are away, or is this more of like

you know, parallel lives together.

Like I'm on my phone, you're on your phone.

I think that that is a cue for us to know that it really has been about the kids as a priority, which is a wonderful thing.

However, how can we hold these two things in balance too, that our kids get to be a priority, so do ourselves and our relationship.

It's okay for there to be different priorities because you're two different people.

The expectation on these trips is not for full alignment.