Dear John: My husband, "Lyle," rarely spends time with me and our two young boys, his own family. His mother lives around the corner, and he is always visiting her. And yet he never spends any quality time at home with the kids and me. I am afraid that he does not find our relationship as stimulating as the one with his mother. What should we do about this? — Married to a Mama's Boy, in Sacramento, Calif.

Dear Married to a Mama's Boy: Of course it's sweet that Lyle wants to spend time with his mother. But clearly he needs to spend more time with his young family, and his schedule should allow for both.

Still, you won't get his agreement on this issue if you approach him from a place of guilt and blame. Instead, let him know that you admire him for the strong bond he maintains with his mother. Then ask him to also schedule weekend activities for the two of you, and for both you and the children, so that they too, may develop a bond with him. You can take the initiative and suggest the first activity: perhaps attending one child's soccer game, or just taking the whole family out for ice cream. As such activities become routine, you might consider inviting Grandma to an activity every now and then. The best life has to offer us are the memories of the time we spend with those we love. By creating loving moments with all of you, he will have a full life indeed.

Dear John: Lisa and I have been married about a year. We are both in our mid-20s. She now works full time while I go to school full time and work part time. How often do most young married couples like us make love during the week? For us, during the past six months, it has been once a week at best. That's what she prefers, but I'm ready at any time of the day. I only have one friend that I could ask such a personal question, and he isn't in any serious relationship, so he's the wrong person to ask. What do you think? — It's Been Too Long, in Dallas, Texas

Dear It's Been Too Long: Hey, just wait until you add children to the mix!

Hectic schedules do alter our opportunities and desire for passion. Right now, you're both missing the romance and excitement that comes with passion, so it's more of an afterthought than an event. To put the sizzle back into your marriage, you are going to have to make it as loving and romantic as when you first met.

Here's how: First, schedule time for passion, as you would for a hair cut, a meeting with a client, or a class. Anticipation is part of passion, so get out your appointment books and jot it in. Then, treat each other as you did when you were dating: In other words, dress up, bring flowers, plan the date to be romantic, fun and exciting. Finally, as your "date" moves to its amorous conclusion, make love as if it were the first time. The key to passion is planning, so start today.