It’s no secret that parenting can be a challenge, and raising children is a full-time job. Although it’s rewarding, it limits the time you have for yourself and your significant other. Which is equally important as the time you spend on your parental duties. But finding the time to connect with your partner and recharge your relationship is essential, and just because you’re parents now doesn’t mean you need to stop dating each other. What it does mean is that you need to get a little more creative and learn how to fit in date nights (or date days, or even date hours).
On that note, here are some ideas and tips that you can use to ensure you sneak in that all-important time together.
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Make Planning And Scheduling A Priority
Whether at work or home, we need to make time for the essential things in our lives, and this takes planning and scheduling. Grab your diary and find a time that works for you and your partner to have that all-important date night. Once you’ve diarized it, treat it like any other appointment that you simply cannot miss.
By scheduling a date night, you also give yourself enough time to find a reliable sitter or a grandparent who can look after your kids for the time you’ve set aside for yourselves.
Use Naptime And Bedtime To Your Advantage
If you have little ones, use their naptime or bedtime as an opportunity to reconnect with your partner.
Plan an activity that you can do together or simply use their naptime to catch up on meaningful conversations. These moments offer a great chance to connect and enjoy each other’s company without distractions.
Book A Babysitter
Whether it’s grandparents, fellow parents, or willing friends, trusted babysitters are worth their weight in gold. If you want to sneak in regular dates, set up a regular night when your babysitter comes over, or your kids go to theirs. You can turn it into a treat for your kids, and you can enjoy the time off as a treat, too.
When you have a babysitter, take full advantage of it. Go out for an intimate dinner, see a show, or do any other activity that you love and isn’t child-friendly. Choose an adventure that you both enjoy and, most importantly, have fun together, laugh, and forget about the pressures of daily life.
Try Daytime Dates
Never underestimate the joy of a daytime date. As a parent, especially of young children, escaping for a nighttime adventure might be too much of an ask due to bedtime rituals. However, your kids might be in school or daycare, so seize the day.
Do that thing you and your partner have been wanting to do forever! Whether it’s a quick lunch at that new deli or a walk in the park, there are plenty of ways to date during daylight hours
Embrace Flexibility and Spontaneity
We know we said you needed to prioritize planning and scheduling. But sometimes, things don’t always go as we intended them to. When that happens, you need to embrace spontaneity!
Make a list of things you and your partner both enjoy doing together. Your list should be simple and achievable. When your next free moment arises, be ready and willing to take the opportunity for your next date night.
Make Technology Your Friend
Don’t let distance stop you from spending time with your partner. If your partner is away on a business trip, schedule a time for a virtual call. Shake things up by playing a game or chatting over a glass of wine.
There are also a wide variety of apps that help to enrich your relationship and help with communication. Use these fun and interactive apps to strengthen your bond, no matter where you are in the world.
Plan A Getaway With A Built-In Date Night
Going away on a family holiday offers the perfect opportunity for you to sneak in a date night. Once the kids are in bed, you can cuddle by the fire or sit outside under the stars and enjoy a romantic reunion with your partner.
Roasting s’mores, watching a movie, or just enjoying a drink together in a different environment is a great way to get some of that spark back.
Create Date Night Boxes
Trade binge-watching your favorite TV series for a date night box. You can take turns filling a box with sweet treats for the evening, and can include games, suggestion cards for fun activities, or even IOUs for a foot rub!
You can keep these boxes in the closet and bring them out whenever the kids unexpectedly go to bed early or stay over at a friend’s. This way, you’ll have a ready-planned date you can both relax and enjoy at a moment’s notice.
Use A Vacation Day For A Date
Have a vacation day spare? Take a half-day or even a whole day off work. This is the perfect time for you both to practice a bit of self-care and prioritize your own needs without any interruptions.
You can use this time to go out and do something that fulfills and energizes you, or you can stay home, relax, and unwind, just the two of you. Whatever you do, do it together and make every minute count.
Turn Everyday Activities Into A Date
Everyday activities like walking the dog, showering, or simply cooking a meal can all be dates if you’re creative about it. Even grocery shopping or running errands can be special shared moments if you focus more on each other and enjoy the time together.
If there’s anything you can do together, do it! A date is about spending quality time together, and there are no rules about what this means or where you do it.
Final Thoughts
Finding the time to connect and bond with your partner is essential, and it isn’t that difficult if you know how to sneak date nights in.
Plan ahead, embrace impromptu moments, and avoid slipping into the trap of thinking, “there’s no time.” You need to make time to invest in your relationship outside of your parenting responsibilities.
After all, as much as you love and adore your children, you’re more than just a parent. You have wants, needs, dreams, and desires, too—and you need to share them with your partner to keep your relationship happy and healthy.
Meta Title: How Parents Can Sneak In Date Nights | Adore Them Parenting
Meta Description: As a parent, sneaking in date nights isn’t always the easiest. Use these tips and ideas to ensure that you spend quality time with your partner, too.
