How to Keep Romance in a Long Distance Relationship

Update your beau on what you're up to while you're away.
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If your sweetheart is moving far away, learning how to handle a long-distance relationship can keep the romance going. Even though there are miles between the two of you, continuing on with your love and partnership is still possible. Staying in touch via modern technology as well as more traditional methods, such as pen and paper, can make the difference between keeping your romance alive and losing a rewarding relationship.

1 Routine Sharing

Sharing your thoughts and feelings with your long-distance guy or girl can help to keep your relationship alive. While you don't need to call your boyfriend every time that you have a thought, spending time talking about what each of you is going through, your daily lives or how you feel about each other can create an intimate feeling of closeness. You can also use technology to start a ritual such as a nightly "Goodnight" text or a morning email about what's on your daily schedule.

2 Surprise Celebrations

Although keeping the spark in your relationship alive by celebrating the major milestones is essential, surprising your girl on a regular day can keep her on her toes. Instead of waiting for her birthday to send a bouquet, order her flowers on a regular Friday. Add in a hand-written love note to express your romantic intentions. This unexpected gift will show that you have her on your mind. When going this route, keep in mind that over-doing it can make the special surprise not so special. Avoid sending flowers every week. Instead, limit this tactic to a few times per year.

3 Circle Your Schedule

The separation involved in a long-distance relationship doesn't mean that you can forget about special days, such as birthdays and anniversaries. Turn the romance up by offering a creative way to celebrate these relationship holidays. For example, call your guy at the exact time that your first date was one year ago. Another option is to surprise your sweetheart with a heart-felt package. Put together a birthday or anniversary present package that includes your boyfriend's favorite sweet treats or burn him a romantic mix CD.

4 Seeing Each Other

Take advantage of technology to keep the romance alive with your long-distance love. If you miss the idea of dinner dates, set up a weekly video chat in which you have a meal together while talking online. Grab some take-out, place your laptop on the table and then light a candle to share true together-time with your paramour. This allows you to have an intimate date -- being able to see and hear each other -- while you are still far apart.

Based in Pittsburgh, Erica Loop has been writing education, child development and parenting articles since 2009. Her articles have appeared in "Pittsburgh Parent Magazine" and the website PBS Parents. She has a Master of Science in applied developmental psychology from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Education.

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