'I tried the 'happy dog hack' with my husband. It reignited our relationship.'

When my husband comes home from work every day my kids always run to the door excitedly shouting, “Dad’s home” and fly into his arms for a hug with big smiles on their faces. My husband always lights up and it makes him so happy. 

It’s so sweet and makes me happy too but deep down I really wanted my husband to greet me the same way. I got curious and thought about it. I realised that it made so much sense why my husband was so happy to see the kids when he arrived home - it was because they literally drop everything they are doing and act like happy puppy dogs. That would make me light up too.

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I reflected on how I had fallen into a bad habit of just recounting my day to my husband or complaining about something that had just happened with the kids. I could see how that would squash any possibility of love, connection and excitement between us.

I decided to make a conscious effort to greet my partner with love, happiness, and excitement every time I saw him. I call it the 'happy dog relationship hack'.

So, every time I heard the keys in the door or my husband's car pulling up at home I stopped what I was doing and ran to the door to greet him with love, excitement and happiness. My intention was to show him that I was happy to see him.

Some days I was in between cooking dinner or tending to the kids so I couldn’t greet him at the door but I still made an effort to stop what I was doing and greet him in the hallway with the same excitement.

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A few months ago, I started doing this without my husband knowing why, and it had a powerful impact. Those precious moments of connecting before diving into the evening routine with the kids helped us transition from the day's stress to the present moment.

We both felt more like a team and were happier and more willing to help and support each other. It also had a really positive impact on our kids who loved seeing Mum and Dad 'do romance' in their words.

Honestly, I couldn’t believe it. This one simple hack made our relationship feel like heaven on earth and we were already in the best place our relationship has ever been because we have done so much work on our relationship.

Image: Supplied.

I recently asked my husband if he had noticed and what it meant to him. He said he had noticed and loved it SO MUCH! He anticipates it every time he comes home now and it makes him look forward to coming home even more because he feels loved and appreciated.

As a therapist, I recently shared this hack with a struggling couple on a call, and the husband's face lit up with enthusiasm. He agreed that being greeted with love and excitement would make him more willing to help and support. The wife also resonated with the idea, realising that what she truly yearned for after a tiring day with the kids was to connect and be held by her partner.

Many couples share with me that they feel disconnected in their relationships. They're tired and quick to argue. They are both always exhausted from managing kids and work. There’s zero connection or very little and they feel like there is no time for them as a couple anymore. 

I 100 per cent understand what this feels like because I have experienced it in my relationship too. That’s why I am so passionate about sharing these simple hacks to make moments of connection feel easier than ever, especially right now in a world where people and couples are feeling more disconnected than ever before.

I invite you to give the 'happy dog relationship hack' a try for the next week and longer if it works for you. Imagine the impact of one of you or both of you creating this excited greeting. How much stronger would your connection become? How much better would your relationship feel? And just think about how much happiness it could bring to your life! Not to mention the positive example of love and relationships it will show your kids.

Feature Image: Supplied.

Aston is a Relationship Coach helping women to deeply communicate and connect with their partner and recreate their relationship after having kids.

To connect with Aston follow her on Instagram, listen to her Podcast, Worthy Woman, or visit her Website for more.