My 1 & Only Tip (for now) for Couples #WFH: Love Each Other Extra

Last week, as folks started sharing guidance about working remotely (for those of us who can, xo) and homeschooling, I decided to write a piece specifically for couples co-working and co-parenting at home together.  I’ve been sifting through tons of articles and resources, interviewing folx in my network, and trying to be thoughtful and ‘do this right’ with my husband.  I ended up with many pages of links and quotes and themes, but as I scrolled through them just now I realized that there’s only one tip I want to share today:

LOVE EACH OTHER EXTRA.

Not what you expected me to lead with in a Little Bites post, right?

It’s a tall order to love your partner extra today while we’re worrying about our loved ones far away and our neighbors, and reckoning with the likely losses of our vacations and school years and financial security, and navigating the new normal of trying to work while long-term homeschooling and sheltering in place. But I’m pretty sure that loving each other extra is the most important thing, not to mention one of the few things we *can* do right now.  (Full disclosure: I have NOT been excellent at this during week one.)   A new story in the New Yorker reports that China is seeing a post-COVID-19 spike in divorce rates and mental health professionals are concerned about increased stress in relationships. Take care of your person and your relationship.  Ask them what they need and encourage them to get out for a run and buy new airpods since one of theirs is broken.  Tell them what YOU need so they can help you turn off the news and force the children to participate in an Indigo Girls dance party in the kitchen.  Sneak out for a walk together or meet up on the porch for a few minutes.  If your intense homeschool schedule or new chore wheel is making you snap at each other, ease up a bit.  And maybe consider leaving your early-rising partner a love note by the coffee pot every morning, just for good measure (thanks, honey).