couple

After many good years in our early relationship, my wife and I have had relationship difficulty for many years. Sex became much less important to her after our child and leading up to the baby, sex only meant making a baby to her.

Now we are past the early child years and I would like to liven things up in terms of both frequency and adventure. I have a very high sex drive and crave some level of adventure, although still tame by many peoples' standards. Most of her friends (all mothers too) are complaining that their husbands are boring in bed and have little interest in sex. I am still very physically attracted to her and I believe she feels the same about me. I have a looming health condition but for now we can both have sex without concern for health or other serious life problems. I am frustrated that we are not making the most of it while we can.

I have tried talking to her about it. I have a few things in mind to try and when trying to talk to her about it, apathy is mainly the response. I approached the couple of conversations we've had with a great amount of flexibility. I wanted to raise some ideas of my own but also to see what her ideas were (e.g. trying to explore some of her fantasies that we could live out for real or perhaps talk about or act out when having sex). So mainly she has discounted my ideas and gave none of her own. I was not just talking about acts but also about fantasies and memories that we could explore in bed. Again, I did not push and would be willing to follow any spark in her rather than push a specific agenda that I might have.

Once again I tried to talk to her about 'spicing things up in our marriage' and she suggested that we play cards (no not sexy games) to have more fun. Great idea if we were 90 years old. When I later commented (nicely and with a bit of humor) about how pathetic this response was, she said that she just misunderstood (yeah right) but then made no attempt to address what I was really talking about. With the misunderstanding cleared up I tried to have the conversation again with no luck.

I am out of ideas to address this and I don't feel right about bringing up the topic again when she dismissed it already several times. I don't want to be a pushy creep. Out of frustration, I sometimes take to sulking which I know is counter-productive.

I believe we both have some resentment which may be underlying this but I don't know if it's just resentment or simply the common sexual decline in her after children and starting to get older. How can I open up the lines of communication with her without once again feeling hurt and embarrassed. We've always been very open and never embarrassed about talking about sex but now I feel awkward raising it when she seems so apathetic about it. I never felt embarrassed or awkward talking about sex with her before. what can I do?

WorkingOnMe

You're going to have to take the lead on this. You want adventure, then take her hand and lead her there. Complaining that there is no adventure while the two of you sit there and play bridge will get you nowhere.

Have you ever heard the saying that it's better to ask forgiveness than permission? Ya, that applies here. Pushy creep? That's you thinking that, not her.

LadyFrogFlyAway

Wanting to have sex with your wife is not being a "pushy creep." It's normal.

If I'm reading your post right, when you try to talk about it with her you either get sarcasm or she shuts down and won't talk about it?

Finding out what's at the root of her apathy is the first step. Have you asked her point blank why she doesn't want to have sex?

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couple

To clarify two points to avoid misunderstanding:

1. we do have sex about 2 times a week. As I said, I would like to improve the frequency of sex, its priority and importance in our relationship and I would like to explore new things. I have a high sex drive and sex has always been very important to me. I'm tired of being in the doldrums with sex and I want to explore with her. Too many men explore without their partners (affairs, porn, escorts, on-line relationships, etc, etc). I do not want this. I would be completely happy with her if she felt the same way.

2. I am not meek with her. I do take the lead and I am aggressive in bed when the time is right. I want to discuss how to improve our sex life and explore new things so it's not that I'm afraid to ask her why she won't have sex. This is not the issue. I have many times tried to talk about fantasies,etc when we are having sex or fooling around. She closes down. She will do the same things from the repertoire which is not limited but after so many years I want to explore new things and explore each other's fantasies and generally be more open and intimate.

LadyFrogFlyAway

Sorry about that; I misunderstood. I went back and re-read your post.

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couple

You do make some good points but trying to talk openly with someone about sex when clearly they are not interested in discussing the topic is a serious downer. It makes you feel creepy if you keep pushing on that closed door.

Your 'just do it' remark does have some merit but please see my recent other reply...i have tried that and it's met with the same well defined boundaries as soon as you try to cross out of the usual repertoire.

River1977

It seems that everyone on this board (I didn't read all the responses to this thread) thinks the sex life every man wants is the sex life every man is supposed to have just because the woman is his wife. I'm sorry, but I do not subscribe to what seems to be the popular belief that this (what this OP is expecting) is his wife's "duty."

There are lots of reasons for the sex life to dwindle in a relationship, but dwindling is not even the case here. He clearly did not marry a woman who was interested in sex at all, at least certainly not for the pleasure of it.....or the pastime. Therefore, it is wrong for everyone to make him feel he is justified in his expectation and for them to try helping him solve his problem of wanting more sex and to spice things up.

Many of the men on these boards express in so many words that women should just do it. Some have outright asked the question "what is so hard about her just opening her legs?" That is ridiculous, not to mention insensitive and just down right bullish. The really horrific part is some of the women here seem to feel the same way. There are many reasons some women don't want sex, and this woman is as entitled to be the way she is just as everyone seems to feel this man is entitled to be the way he is. If he builds resentment in a woman by day, then she doesn't want to have sex at night. If he is a terrible lover, does not satisfy her, or is just simply inadequate to her in the sex department, then she does not want to have sex. If she gets nothing out of the act, then she does not want to have sex. If by her nature, she simply does not have any sexual desire, she does not want to have sex. It seems to me one of the two latter points is what is going on with his wife because I refuse to believe a sexually fulfilled woman does not want to be sexually fulfilled on a regular and continual basis.

Generally, women have absolutely no idea how important sex is to a man, particularly women who do not have sexual desire themselves. This kind of woman still wants to get married and have children. She still wants the family, and this is the kind of woman the OP married, and he KNEW it. How can he expect more than how he knew it was going to be? Why is she obligated to serve his sexual needs that are so much more than her own? She tries every way she can to avoid sex with him and even the discussion of sex, but he is determined he will twist and turn her mind so she will give him what he wants......and everyone justifies him and trieds to help him. This is craziness in action. No one here has any idea why this woman is the way she is and has no respect for the way she is. She's just automatically wrong.

For the record, I have a high sex drive, but I've been where she is with a guy who was completely useless to me in bed. I was repulsed by his inadequacies (no, I am not talking about size) at his age (over 50) and was repulsed by his way of thinking that my only purpose was to serve him, as if the act was not supposed to be for me too. I left him after 3 months and finally realized nothing about him or our relationship was going to improve, and I spent time with a former boyfriend in the meanwhile. I was not going to be treated that way (along with his abuse), and I certainly wasn't going to treated like his concubine. Some women are perfectly happy to live that way and are perfectly happy to live not wanting to have sex with their husband, but they still want to be married and have a family. No one has the right to demand she provide so much more for him just because she is his wife than the sex life was from the beginning.

couple

River...you are making a lot of incorrect assumptions here. First, she, like many woman, was very into sex from the beginning as was I. We were extremely compatible. she's changed and I've changed. Nothing unusual. I'm just asking for advice on how to deal with it. And before you make more assumptions, I'm not saying that just because she was more sexual back then, she should be now.

I'm not saying that she's wrong. This is a relationship problem that I'm trying to work out. It's not a matter of who's right and who's wrong. If i were more like her friends' husbands, then perhaps there wouldn't be a problem.

She brags to her friends that i'm so good in bed when they complain about their husbands so i don't know if she finds me inadequate or not. She at least likes the idea of a horny husband.

lovesherman

Here are some ideas to spice up your sex life:

Sex toys
Dressing up and role playing
Mild bondage
Long, slow massages with oil
Watching porn together (must be mutually pleasant)
Soaping each other up in the shower
Teasing with feathers
Different places in the house or outside

You did mention resentment, so make sure that you have an honest conversation with her about this. Resentment kills desire.

SunnyT

simply the common sexual decline in her after children and starting to get older.

I don't think there IS a common decline. I think it's something SOME women perpetuate when THEY want a decline.

The only thing I can think of.... is to figure out how to meet her needs outside the bedroom. You can't make her talk about it... though wouldn't life be so much easier if people who f^ck would just TALK too?! But, you can give it your best shot... think "dating" and woo her. Introduce new ideas, positions, locations, toys, or whatever as she gets more "into you"... when she's feeling sexy. Can't hurt to try!

livnlearn

first of all I wouldn't bother trying to justify yourself to "River" who seems to have her own resentment towards some man fueling her response. I think you sound like a good guy..you have some things you'd like to experience with your wife and you are trying to pursue it in a caring respectful way. I am wondering...are you sure what you are describing as "anxiety" at your touch , is actually anxiety and not more tension/resentment? I find when my husband husband initiates sex by rubbing my back or legs, or my head...basically non-sexual areas, first...I am MUCH more relaxed and responsive to the progression to sexual touch. When he starts out by touching my breasts, buttocks, or vagina...I feel really tense and sort of angry. It's hard for some people, I think women in particular, to go from not thinking sexually at all, to suddenly being in the mood and responding to sexual touch in the manner desired by the initiator.

unbelievable

Your wife understands perfectly well what you want. She just doesn't particularly care. She's getting whatever she needs from you regardless of her active participation. In most aspects of life, we get what we give. For her, she can play the role of card playing granny and yet you still treat her as an adored, sexual being. You are safely in her sack and she probably feels she doesn't have to go out of her way to keep you interested.

couple

Thank you for the good advice so far. It's useful to talk this out.

She does get horny and wants sex sometimes. However, I feel that there is an intimacy barrier there. It's nice to see her horny and the usual repertoire is enough to satisfy her need. She doesn't seem to have any reason to branch out beyond this any longer. In the early years we would make more effort to do new things (outside, in car, etc.). Obviously life changes and other priorities and stresses move in. All I want is that on the weekends after all the family activities are done and week's work stresses are temporarily suspended, we take time to really focus on sex.

Enchantment

I thought her comment about playing cards was rather interesting...as it definitely shows what her mindset is.

She seems contented with the sex that you guys are having. I wonder why she also seems contented to not be willing to try things because you would like them? Why do you think that is?

What is your general relationship like? If she was building up resentments, what do you think they would be about?

Do you think the card comment was just off-hand, a deliberate attempt to distract/disarm you, or a genuine attempt to say she'd like to see you two connect more outside the bedroom?

As always, I think that how people interact and connect with each other outside the bedroom has a tremendous impact on what happens inside the bedroom.

Best wishes.

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LadyFrogFlyAway

"Many of the men on these boards express in so many words that women should just do it. Some have outright asked the question "what is so hard about her just opening her legs?" That is ridiculous, not to mention insensitive and just down right bullish. The really horrific part is some of the women here seem to feel the same way.

Generally, women have absolutely no idea how important sex is to a man, particularly women who do not have sexual desire themselves. This kind of woman still wants to get married and have children. She still wants the family, and this is the kind of woman the OP married, and he KNEW it. How can he expect more than how he knew it was going to be? Why is she obligated to serve his sexual needs that are so much more than her own?"She tries every way she can to avoid sex with him and even the discussion of sex, but he is determined he will twist and turn her mind so she will give him what he wants......and everyone justifies him and trieds to help him."

Count me as one of those "horrific" women who thinks a wife has a duty, obligation, committment, (pick your word; makes no difference) to her husband. It is part of the vows you make the day you marry. Besides, lovemaking is an awesome part of being married.
I don't think anyone here who has read my posts has any doubt that I feel a wife doesn't have the right to simply check out of the sex part, giving lame and cr*ppy escuses. You're saying it's ok if a wife doesn't want sex, and she doesn't have to talk it over with her husband, he can just deal with it and live in a sexless or sexually unfulfilling marriage?

How many men would marry a woman if she said, "Honey, I'll have sex with you to get pregnant, but after that I'm going to turn into a dead fish who just lies there while you get off, if I let you get off at all?" Women like that should not marry; I don't care if they want kids or not. Marriage is not strictly about what ONE person wants. It's a give-and-take, two way street.
The OP doesn't sound like an *-hole to me. He sounds like a man who loves his wife and wants to spice up his love life.
If you are married to someone who blows you off, shuts down and checks out, and refuses to discuss a situation whether it be sexual or otherwise, that's not healthy and not respectful.

__________________
Pick a tiki....ANY tiki!!

ITW...Keeper Of The Flame.

CharlieParker...who is he, really?