Emphasize quality over quantity. Even if it's a few minutes over coffee in the mornings, or half an hour before the lights go out each night, use this time to connect deeply with your partner. Hold hands, gaze into each other's eyes and verbalize what you most appreciate about each other. The quality of the time you spend together is what will ultimately deepen your bond and will create the potential for a lasting relationship.

Make time for each other during the week. While weekends may seem like your only option for spending time with your partner, given school schedules, doctor appointments, teacher meetings and sporting activities, carve out some time to catch up with your partner during the workweek. Establishing quality time even during the hectic workweek is a way of making your relationship a priority, even if it's just for half an hour at a local cafe. It shows that you value each other enough to put your work and your children on the back burner for a short time to focus on being together.

Bring your children together. A good excuse to hang out with your partner is to get all your children to interact. Plan a fun family outing that your children can enjoy regardless of their age, or have a low-key family evening at home with movies and fun cooking projects. While your children are interacting with each other, use this time to connect to your partner and to support each other not just as partners but as parents.

Have patience. Your children won't be young forever. If you need an added incentive to make it through the difficult years of sacrificing alone time with your partner, you can look forward to when all of the kids (his and yours) have successfully transitioned out of the household and on to independent living. You have eighteen years at most. Patience will make your present situation more tolerable.