The Challenge Of A Loving Marriage

The alarm went off at 6:30am yesterday, as it does every work and school day, but yesterday I had an unlikely request. “Want to fool around?” I asked my sleepy wife. “What?” she responded dismissively. “April Fools!” I clarified.

Because, from what I gather, I may not be the only married parent who might think of sex as a good April Fool’s joke, I have something very special I want to share. And that is the work of Esther Perel, who I will name drop as an old friend but who, more pertinently, is a therapist who has become a prominent public thinker on matters of marriage and sex.

We profiled Esther a few years ago, when she published Mating In Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence, and I’m very frustrated right now (so to speak) because it seems that we’ve lost the interview when we updated our website. In recent years, her ideas and observations on how loving and supportive relationships face inherent challenges to their physical chemistry have made her a popular presence everywhere from Ted Talks to Dr. Oz (I just heard that she’ll be on his show tomorrow).

I loved her recent interview that she did with Slate, provocatively titled ” Why We Cheat: Spouses in happy marriages have affairs. What are we all looking for?”

I love the idea that, as she put it: “Most people today, for the sheer length we live together, have two or three marriages in their adult life, and some of us do it with the same person. For me, this is my fourth marriage with my husband and we have completely reorganized the structure of the relationship, the flavor, the complementarity.”

I love that she’s found a creative and insightful and positive approach to engaging the relationship challenges all couples, to varying degrees, face in long-term relationships.

And this is anything but an April Fool’s joke.

British Swim School - Long Island

The premier learn-to-swim provider for people of all ages, offering programs for children ages 3-months through adults.&nbsp; British Swim School uses gentle teaching methods and a survival-first approach to help people of all experience levels become safer, stronger swimmers. British Swim School&rsquo;s safe, fun, and effective instructional program has made it the preferred choice for parents and students for over 40 years. Come see the British Swim School difference!

Polaris Productions Theater Camp

Kids will learn, rehearse, and perform the wonderful Maurice Sendak and Carole King musical, Really Rosie. For 10 weekdays, campers will take part in physical and vocal warm-ups and learn choreography, staging, and vocal parts. They&rsquo;ll develop skills in acting, singing, character development, and more. This camp will ignite your child&rsquo;s imagination and passion for performing, build their self-esteem, and help them form lasting friendships. They&rsquo;ll have fun! At camp&rsquo;s end, the kids will perform Really Rosie for family members and friends. Kids of all levels of experience, ages 8 through 13, are welcome to join.

Super Soccer Stars

Soccer Stars is New York&rsquo;s most popular youth educational soccer program! With 24 years of experience under our cleats, we have positively impacted over one million kids in our local community by putting the FUN in FUNdamentals in our weekly classes and camps. At Soccer Stars, we use the soccer ball as a vehicle to help children not only improve their soccer skills, but develop self-confidence and physical literacy, improve gross motor skills, build teamwork, and hone socialization skills. Our highly trained coaches and early childhood experts lead an age-specific curriculum with a low kid-to-coach ratio so every child gets individual attention and can grow at their own pace. Kids ages 1-12+ can join our seasonal programs, including Parent &amp; Me, FUNdamentals, Development Training, and Travel Soccer. Join us at one of over 80 locations in neighborhoods across across Westchester County, Connecticut and New York, available 7 days-a-week: Connecticut: <ul> <li>Cos Cob</li> <li>Greenwich</li> <li>Port Chester</li> </ul> &nbsp; Westchester: <ul> <li>Briarcliff</li> <li>Eastchester</li> <li>Mt. Kisco</li> <li>New Rochelle</li> <li>Ridgefield</li> <li>Scarsdale</li> <li>White Plains</li> </ul> &nbsp; New York City: <ul> <li>Bronx</li> <li>Inwood</li> <li>Upper West Side</li> <li>Upper East Side</li> </ul> &nbsp; Can&rsquo;t find a class or location that fits your schedule? Soccer Stars also offers private classes for small groups or individual training. Let our coaches come to you with a completely customizable program, anytime, anywhere. Birthday parties are also available!&nbsp;