Date Night At Home: No Money, No Sitter, No Problem!
Finding time for your significant other once kids are in the mix can feel downright impossible, but taking time to reconnect and enjoy each other’s company without kids is essential to maintaining a happy and healthy relationship. Of course, getting away is difficult, especially when babies are young or when you happen to be living through a pandemic. We asked an expert to weigh in on planning a successful date night at home.
The Importance of Making Time for a Date
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Melissa Dumaz shared her insights on the importance of finding quality time with your partner and tips on having a date night at home when going out isn’t an option:
When my husband and I got married, one of the most common pieces of advice we received was, “make time for date nights!” As a young married couple, we had a lot of time to spend together, and it happened naturally without having to “plan” for it. We heard those words of wisdom, “make time for date nights,” but those words didn’t truly register to us until we became parents. Once we became parents, we quickly learned that we had to become intentional about our time together; now, we have to “make time for date nights” with one another.
When working with my clients, I like to help them learn new ways to problem-solve and brainstorm to get their needs met. I get excited about assisting families in thinking outside the box and learning new ways to spend time together that are affordable and exciting. I will share with you a few great ideas that you can use to initiate date night with your significant other without worrying about the challenges of finding a babysitter, especially with Valentine’s Day coming up!
How to Make a Date Night at Home Successful
A date night at home is a perfect example of intentional ways to spend time with your significant other, all while being mindful of the family budget. Enjoying a night in requires setting a date, putting it on each other’s calendar, and getting the kids to bed at a decent time.
Three critical factors to making date night at home successful are:
- Commit to no interruptions during this time, so this means no phone, no social media, no working, etc.
- Commit to doing something different from what your typical evenings at home look like together. For example, if you typically cuddle in bed or on the couch and watch television, I encourage you to do something other than that for your scheduled date night at home.
- Commit to planning for your date night at home by getting creative, fun, and romantic with what you decide to do.
Ideas for At Home Date Nights
Here are a few suggestions to get you started with brainstorming the perfect ideas for your date night at home:
- Make s’mores by the fireplace
- Take turns giving each other a massage
- Turn on your favorite music and have a dance party
- Play your favorite board game or learn a new one together
- Choose a new recipe for dinner and make it together
- Order in a decadent meal or a special dessert for the two of you to enjoy after the kids are in bed
- Have some after-dinner snacks and wine by candlelight, etc.
- Watch a new movie that’s not animated together
- Take the baby monitor outside and have a moonlit picnic in the backyard
A date at home helps you move past the barriers of having a reliable babysitter to reconnect and spend quality time with your partner. Take some time to schedule your night at home with your loved one and enjoy each other’s company. The possibilities are endless!
Have any fun ideas for a night at home that we missed? Share them on our Local Anchor Facebook group.
Melissa Dumaz is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 15 years of experience in psychotherapy. She specializes in guiding clients through the complexities of overcoming emotional and physical trauma. She also helps clients of all ages deal with grief, anxiety, postpartum depression, relationship issues, parenting, transitions in life, family conflict, self-esteem and stress management. Click here to learn more.
