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So it was Sunday night, 6.30pm. We'd just finished a 45-minute family council with our three girls. Surprisingly productive!!! We have been having them for about 10 years now, so they know the drill.
We spoke about what's great about each child, some specific feedback. We gave them permission to tell Kerry and I where we're messing up as parents right now ( I double dare you to do that and not defend what they say, but instead say - 'Thank you').
We talked about the dog responsibilities that have quietly disappeared into life noise, reset expectations so everyone knows what's expected (and we don't have to keep asking over and over like nut jobs), and reallocated chores to match age, maturity and interest.
The bonus round? Guinea pigs... again. (May our last RIP.)
Parent Tip: Put the most fun subject and the sweets or fruit at the end. Attention magically improves.
We were on a roll, so later that evening Kerry and I followed it up with our fortnightly Couples Circle.
I opened with one question: "Why is our relationship so strong?"
As people who spend our lives helping couples, we're often asked incredibly complicated questions about relationships that have taken years to slowly unravel. And quite often, our answers seem so simple that people almost don't believe them.
Before I tell you what we said, a quick note.
What is a couples circle?
It's simply this:
Two people. A candle. A talking piece. One speaker. One listener. A few thoughtful prompts. And... lock the bedroom door.
The point is to create a formal space for deeper speaking and listening that exists beyond logistics, calendars, children, bills and "What's for dinner?". You respond only to the questions being asked.
So here's my question:
If you already know about Couples Circle...and you're not doing it...Why not?
Answers on a postcard to Monmouth.
Anyway, back to the juicy bit. These aren't word-for-word, but they're very close.
Ben
1. We genuinely want to spend time together.
Being together is our favourite place to be. I look forward to seeing you. I look forward to hearing about your day. You reflect the best parts of me, and you look for those parts in me too.
You also don't leave things unsaid.
If something needs saying, you say it gently before it turns into resentment. I don't always enjoy hearing it in the moment, but I always want to become a better husband, and I need your honesty for that.
Loving you never feel like work.
2. I want your life to be amazing.
I want you to thrive as a mum, as a woman, in your learning, your workouts, your homeschooling, your friendships, every part of your life.
Your happiness matters deeply to me. Not because it's my job to create it, but because I want to protect it and support it wherever I can.
If I'm investing my time and energy anywhere first, it's in you. You're my number one.
Kerry
1. Our communication is excellent.
We have clarity. We have consistency. We prioritise each other. We share diaries. We rarely have chaotic weeks because we're constantly communicating.
You help bring me out of my head and back into my heart. I can become wrapped up in managing life, emotions, children and logistics.
I help bring organisation into your world...and remind you, for the hundredth time, where you're meant to be at 4pm, even though it's already in the diary.
That ongoing openness keeps life feeling light instead of overwhelming.
2. We laugh. A lot.
Most of our interactions include a smile. Some conversations aren't funny. Some are uncomfortable, anxiety-producing or confusing.
Sometimes we don't have the answers. But we stay in the conversation until we do.
Until we find the light...or the light finds us.
Closing stuff
So there you have it. Pretty simple, isn't it?
Now, that doesn't mean your answers need to sound like ours. Every relationship has its own language, priorities and strengths.
But after years of watching relationships fall apart and helping many of them recover, I've become convinced of something.
Healthy relationships aren't built on complexity. They're built on thousands of simple moments done consistently.
Fear complicates things - Confusion complicates things - Focusing on the wrong areas in your relationship complicates things.
Connection is often much simpler than we imagine.
So here's this week's encouragement.
What day this week will you make time for your version of this conversation?
Actually put it in the diary. Light a candle. Close the door. Ask one question.
Listen. (See I have put this in bold and blue and written this comment next to it - honestly the better you listen the less work you'll have to do, people just know when you aren't really listening)
And if your partner thinks it's a bit cheesy, awkward or rolls their eyes...Smile.
If they are resistant, don't try to convince them or change their mind. Just invite them. Sometimes the strongest relationships aren't built by two people who both feel ready.
They're built because one person quietly keeps creating a safe place for connection until the other discovers they wanted it all along.
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Have a wonderful day
Ben and Kerry x
