Avoid the seven-year itch

Is the seven-year itch, the so-called rough patch that can end a marriage after seven years, fact or fiction? Experts still disagree on the subject, but 2001 U.S. Census Bureau data says that half of all first-marriage divorces occur before the eighth year of marriage, and half occur after that. So why are the first seven years of marriage so tough? Because couples often focus on their careers and raise young children during this period, so alone time and intimacy falls to the bottom of the priority list. But talking and laughing without distractions and having sex keeps couples connected and reminds them of why they got together in the first place. Here's how to make these moments happen:

Find more minutes alone:

• Take lunch for two to his office.
• Have him meet you after work, and then drive home together. It'll be like he's picking you up for a date again!
• You don't have to stay and watch every basketball practice—go out for ice cream during your kids' next scrimmage.
• Work out together (pick a gym that has childcare!).

Sneak in time for sex:

• If your children are old enough, set them up in the living room with their favorite DVD, and slip into your (locked) bedroom for a quickie. Do a babysitting swap with friends, and take advantage of an empty house when it's their turn to watch the kids.
• Need a little help getting in the mood once you're alone? Watching a sexy-but-not-smutty movie, like Mr. And Mrs. Smith or Dirty Dancing, should do the trick.

Source: Diana Kirschner, Ph.D., a New York City-based marriage therapist