c/relationships·Posted by u/jordan_hale·1h ago

We only talk about bills, kids pickup, and groceries. Is that just life now?

Tuesday I realized the longest thing I said to my wife was "Did you grab the permission slip?" We live in the same house. Between 6am and 10pm it is school pickup, who has the car, is there milk, did the plumber text back. She'll send me a thumbs-up from the other room. I tried last night. Sat on the edge of the bed and asked what she thought about while she was folding laundry. She looked at me like I had asked her to write an essay. She said "I don't know, the towels?" Then she asked if I paid the electric bill. We used to sit in the parking lot after dinner and talk until the windows fogged. That was six years and one kid ago. I'm not asking for a date-night speech. I just want one conversation that isn't a checklist. When I say that out loud it sounds ungrateful, because the checklist is how the house runs. Is this what people mean by a busy season, or did we replace talking with managing?

Peer discussion on askDr.app. Not therapy and not a substitute for professional care.