All alone during football season? You're not the only one. Come fall, many sports fans stay glued to the couch every Sunday, and lots of other nights, as well. By the way, this can go both ways, genderwise. One of the many factors in a friend’s recent breakup was my buddy’s ex’s failure to understand that, on Sundays during football season, she watches the game.

Now, it’s important to make sure that both partners’ needs are being met. If he spends hours watching football on Sunday while she’s on kid duty all day, this is not a balanced relationship. In this case, the problem isn’t football, it’s partner responsibility. An arrangement needs to be made that will allow each of you to have the downtime needed to keep you sane and happy.

However, if basic needs are otherwise being met, here are a few tips for dealing with football widowhood:

Take an Interest in the Game

I’m not a football person myself, but, I know a lot of people, both male and female, who love to watch the game. One friend described it as live action chess where the figures beat the hell out of each other when they meet, which does sound intriguing. Try learning a bit about football and watching a couple of games to see if you can develop a taste for it.

Getting a pair of tickets to see a game live can be a great way to get more enthusiastic about the sport. There’s something more exciting about being there. And, even if you never work up much enthusiasm for the sport itself, tailgating before a game is pretty fun.

See if There Are Any Can-Miss Games

Are there teams that she’s just not that into? This could be a good weekend for her to tear herself away from the TV so the two of you can do something together. Look over the schedule and make plans for the Sundays that aren’t taken up by teams your partner is really into.

Partners should never stop courting each other, and that means spending romantic time one on one. Skip the occasional game and go for a fall walk in the woods instead.

Go Do Things on Your Own

This is a chance to get out and enjoy all of the hobbies and interests that you and your partner don’t share. Spend a few hours immersed in a book or a videogame. Go antiquing or to the flea market. Time apart is as important as time together, so, use the time that you have to explore your solo interests.

Most of all, take heart. Football season is only a few months a year. You’ll have your partner back soon enough. At least until baseball season starts.

Photo: artworx