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COMPARE COVERAGE

📰 Subject: 💛 The 20-Minute Talk That Can Save Your Relationship (While You’re Caregiving)

Stuck in the Middle News — Issue #239 — Monday, December 15, 2025

👋 Welcome (New Here?)

If you’re caring for aging parents, raising kids, working, and trying to keep your relationship solid… you’re in the right place.

If a friend forwarded this to you, reply “SUBSCRIBE” and I’ll send you the link to join.

🧠 Big Thought

Caregiving doesn’t just steal your time — it quietly reassigns roles in your relationship.

One person becomes the “operator” (appointments, meds, emergencies).
The other becomes the “support staff” (kids, house, money, logistics).
And without meaning to, you stop acting like partners… and start acting like coworkers under pressure.

The fix is not “try harder.” The fix is create a repeatable rhythm that keeps you on the same team — even when life is chaotic.

This week’s move: a simple 20-minute weekly check-in that prevents resentment from building interest.

🧰 Money Moves

Step-by-step (free, practical, and fast)

1. Name the real problem (not the person).
   Skim the key findings so you can say, “This is bigger than us — this is what caregiving does.”
   https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/ltss/family-caregiving/caregiving-in-the-us-2025-caring-across-states/

2. Do the “no-fixing” conversation once this week (10–15 minutes).
   Rule: one talks, the other listens — no solutions, no advice, just support.
   https://www.gottman.com/blog/how-to-stress-reducing-conversation/

3. Schedule a family meeting (yes, even if people resist).
   Goal: stop doing “silent solo caregiving.” Bring the list of tasks and assign owners.
   https://www.caregiver.org/resource/holding-family-meeting/

4. Find ONE way to buy back time (even 2 hours).
   Use the national respite locator to see what exists near you. Don’t decide today — just identify options.
   https://archrespite.org/caregiver-resources/respitelocator/

5. Use a simple script to protect the relationship.
   Try the spouse/partner communication tips and steal the lines that fit your life.
   https://www.pa.gov/agencies/aging/pa-carekit/caregiving-resources/communication-tips

🛠️ Tool of the Week

CareNav® (free caregiving “dashboard”) — a simple place to organize help, resources, and next steps without hunting all over the internet.
https://www.caregiver.org/connecting-caregivers/fca-carenav/

📰 Reads (Free + No Paywalls)

1. Caregiving in the US 2025: Caring Across States
   https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/ltss/family-caregiving/caregiving-in-the-us-2025-caring-across-states/

2. Communication Tips for Caregivers (including spouse/partner strain)
   https://www.pa.gov/agencies/aging/pa-carekit/caregiving-resources/communication-tips

3. How to Have a Stress-Reducing Conversation (quick, structured, doable)
   https://www.gottman.com/blog/how-to-stress-reducing-conversation/

💬 Connect With People Who Get It

Caregiving can feel isolating — and so can relationship stress.
Join our private Facebook group to talk to others who truly understand.

👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/stuckinthemiddlenews

💬 Reply & Engage Prompt

What’s the biggest relationship “pressure point” right now?

• Time & exhaustion

• Resentment / uneven workload

• Money stress

• Intimacy / connection

• Family conflict (siblings, in-laws, etc.)

Hit reply with the one that’s loudest for you.

↗️ Share the Relief

Know someone carrying too much and trying to hold a relationship together too?
Forward this and tell them: “You’re not failing — you’re overloaded.”

P.S.

If you want, I’ll send you my 20-Minute Weekly Caregiver Couple Check-In template.
Reply CHECK-IN and I’ll paste it into an email you can reuse every week.

✅ Link QA

All links in this issue were checked on December 15, 2025 and are free, publicly accessible, and not behind paywalls.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOKS YOU CAN READ IF YOU ARE FRUSTRATED WITH A PARENT OR OLDER RELATIVE

grab a copy here https://amzn.to/3QIhlx7

If you are in this situation I think you will enjoy it!

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