Before children, couples may have spent hours discussing their dreams, sharing gossip, talking about work or laughing over something silly. After children, those conversations can become increasingly rare.

Their communication may still be constant, but it is mostly practical. Who will pick up the child? What needs to be bought? When is the next school meeting?

There is nothing wrong with these conversations, but they cannot always replace emotional intimacy. Partners can live together, make decisions together and raise children together without knowing what the other person is feeling.

When deeper conversations disappear, loneliness can creep into the relationship even when both people are physically present. Sometimes, the first step towards reconnecting is as simple as asking a question that has nothing to do with the children and genuinely listening to the answer.