Dear Jessica,

When there is a child on the way, everything does change. His online habit is too time-consuming even if you were not planning a family, especially if he does spend 2 to 5 hours each night playing online. If he is working fulltime and playing games each night, it does not give you both enough time together to build a strong relationship. One problem with online games is that they do take time so playing just a little doesn’t often work. Games involve complex battles, raids, or quests, which can take hours to complete, even when working together with other players. He needs to evaluate his new circumstances and decide what is most important. In any relationship, the shift from being a couple to being a family can be overwhelming. It may be that he is using the game as a way to deal with other stress going on in his life. This is a good time to talk together, especially if you have these concerns. Find a quiet time when you are both relaxed, perhaps over dinner or when you have some down time together. Becoming parents is a big responsibility and you both need to be open to talking with one another. He needs to hear your concerns and accommodate his game playing so that it serves your family best. By being open with one another, you will be able to develop a time line for when your child comes that works for you as new parents.