I’ve been married for 23 years but I’m worried there’s no passion or fun anymore

DEAR DEIDRE: CAN my wife and I be happy together when we are so different? I wonder if I should just cut my losses and go.

We’ve been married for 23 years and always knew we had different personalities with our own interests.

We are now in our mid-forties and have three good children in their teens.

She likes watching TV and seeing her friends while I prefer time in the garden or going fishing.

I go to bed early while she stays up late.

I’d say we have a functional marriage and we have sex once a month but there’s no passion or fun. I’m not desperately unhappy but I don’t want to keep on like this for the next 20 years.

DEIDRE SAYS: Be very wary of tearing up a stable and generally happy family home. It is far from all loss – good kids, you can go fishing and get off to bed when you choose.

Make a big effort to get a joint treat in the diary once a month for you and your wife – a weekend away, a special night in or an outing you would both enjoy. Ask her what she would fancy.

Give praise, not complaints, and read my e-leaflet Your Relationship MoT.

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