Does anyone else feel like modern parenting has made couples more like teammates than partners?

[GlowWithBalance]

Lately I’ve realised that most of my conversations with my partner revolve around logistics — who’s doing pickup, what to cook, what bills are due, who’s buying the birthday gift for yet another party. We get along fine, but it sometimes feels like we’re running a small business together rather than being in a relationship.
By the time the kids are in bed, we’re both so tired that we just zone out in front of the TV. It’s not that anything’s wrong, but I do miss when we used to actually talk about other things or just laugh together without checking the clock.
I keep wondering if this is just what the parenting phase looks like for everyone, or if it’s something we should actively be working on before it turns into real distance.
Has anyone else felt like this — and if so, did you manage to shift things back to feeling more like a couple again?

We have loosely defined roles in our house so there isn’t much talking about these things, they just kind of happen. (It’s not remotely gender linked, as he does more childcare and more housework, but based on availability and skill). Anything that does need to be discussed can usually be sorted out with a quick text at lunchtime or a five minute conversation during dinner.

We aim to be physically intimate (not necessarily sex but potentially a massage or even just an early night with a proper cuddle if we’re really exhausted) at least every other night. Forcing yourself to initiate physical contact can sometimes feel like the last thing you want to do, but we always ‘get into it’ and it means there’s always a spark, rather than feeling like parenting colleagues. I also think we make an effort to let each other know we fancy each other - it feels like our little secret/joke away from the kids if we whisper something or have a cheeky grope.

I think another thing is laughing, a lot. Making up stupid songs, talking utter nonsense, and making references to utterly bizarre bits of pop culture. Having the same sense of humour and being silly keeps things feeling fresh and fun.

The perfect marriage is a team working effort.

I completely agree with this.

Yep - in my humble opinion it’s shit. It is a much nicer balance if one parent can work part time or not at all until their oldest is in school.

I like the idea of having things run smoothly without needing constant discussions — it definitely feels like we’re always talking logistics here.

I think there’s a phones and on demand tv aspect.

We tend to finish dealing with the day, then sit down and crash in a heap and put something on. So limited chat.

Except watching Traitors over last few weeks, when had the gap to wait for it coming on. That got a lot more chat.