Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Shalom and welcome to New Jewish Dad. I'm Jacob Sager, father of five. Today we're talking about an often overlooked topic, nurturing your relationship with your partner. Amidst the chaos of new parenthood, it's easy to get so wrapped up in the needs of your baby that you forget to tend to the bond that brought that little one into the world in the first place. So let's talk about how to keep the love alive during this transformative time.
[00:00:24] The Jewish tradition places a high value on the spousal relationship. In fact, the Talmud states that a man should love his wife as much as he loves himself and honor her more than he honors himself.
[00:00:37] This mutual respect, love and prioritization of the relationship is seen as the foundation of a strong Jewish home. But let's be real. When you're sleep deprived, covered in spit up, and can't remember the last time you had an uninterrupted conversation, it can be challenging to feel the romance. That's why it's so important to be intentional about nurturing your relationship during this time. So what can you do? First, make communication a priority. Check in with each other regularly about how you're feeling, what you need, and how you can support one another. Be honest about the challenges you're facing and express appreciation for all the ways your partner is showing up. Second, find small ways to show affection and care. It might be as simple as a quick kiss, a little love note left on the kitchen counter, or offering to take over some sort of nighttime feeding so your partner can sleep. These little gestures can go a long way in keeping your connection strong. Third, prioritize time together. Even if it looks different than it did pre baby. Maybe it's a quick coffee date while the baby naps, a Netflix night, and once they're asleep or a walk around the block with the stroller, maybe you have to call Grandma to come do some babysitting. The key is to create pockets of time where you can focus on each other and remember why you fell in love in the first place. I remember when our third child was born. My life and I were like two ships passing in the night. We were so focused on the needs of our newborn and the two older kids that we barely had time to reconnect. One day we realized we just needed to make a change. We started with weekly check ins where we could talk about something other than diapers and schedules. And we made a commitment to a regular date night, even if it was just takeout and a movie at home. Those small shifts made a big difference in helping us feel like partners again, not just co parents. Remember, nurturing your relationship isn't about grand romantic gestures or trying to recreate your pre baby life. It's about finding new ways to connect, communicate and show love in the context of your current reality. It's about prioritizing each other, even amidst the beautiful chaos of parenthood. This is Jacob Sager reminding you that the greatest gift you can give your child is the love between their parents. Keep tending to that love, even in the small moments. Until next time. Shalom.
