Valentine’s Day hits different when you’re tired.
Not “I stayed up too late scrolling” tired.
But the kind of tired where you and your partner pass each other in the hallway like coworkers on opposite shifts.

You still care about each other.
You just don’t have the energy to prove it with reservations, outfits, or big gestures.

And somewhere in the background, there’s that quiet guilt.
Like you’re supposed to do more…
Or feel more…
Or want more…
And instead you’re just trying to make it through the week.

A lot of couples don’t fall out of love.
They fall into survival mode.
And suddenly you’re not arguing, you’re just… coexisting.

Here’s the part no one really says out loud:
​Working parents don’t need date-night pressure.​
They need micro connection.

Because when your days are packed and your nervous system is fried, the idea of “romance” can feel like another obligation.

So instead of chasing a perfect Valentine’s moment, try something smaller. Something you can actually sustain.

A no-pressure connection ritual (15 minutes, max):

After the kids are down.
No phones. No multitasking.

Maybe it’s tea on the couch.
Maybe it’s a short walk around the block.
Maybe it’s sitting at opposite ends of the couch and talking about nothing important.

No fixing.
No planning.
No performance.

Just presence.

That’s often what’s missing, not love.

This is the kind of thing I help parents build into their family systems.
Not as another task.
But as a rhythm that protects the relationship from disappearing under logistics.

Because marriages don’t need grand gestures to survive busy seasons.
They need consistency, softness, and space to breathe.

And honestly?
If all you can manage this month is 15 quiet minutes together…
That still counts.

​
​What does connection look like in this season for you? Hit reply. I’m listening.