When JB and I were dating, I always looked forward to Friday nights. He's an amazing planner, and would usually out-do himself weekly with fun-filled and inexpensive ways to show me a GREAT time. After we got married and had our kids, we struggled to do "date night" with the constraints of small kids, nursing, bedtimes, babysitter costs, sheer exhaustion, etc. Although we have wonderful family members who happily watch our kids so we can go out, I've felt it's a bit unrealistic to request them to sit for us on a weekly basis.
JB has heard several times in recent priesthood trainings and other meetings about the importance of weekly date nights and expressed his discouragement at our inability to do so. So, we brainstormed and have come up with a happy solution, which we're kicking off tonight! We're simply having a date here at home that has more structure and planning than an ordinary evening together. We make a plan to get the kids to bed at 8:00PM, clean up the house and then "go out" on a date. We'll play a game, rent/checkout a movie or have another couple over, make a treat, etc. I find the nicest thing is to have something specific to look forward to - a plan, so that we don't end up just surfing the TV channels until bedtime.
As an aside, it's been actually really great - this Writer's Strike! I haven't realized how much TV I watch. I've read three books since Christmas and have spent more time really talking to JB in the evenings, instead of watching TV. The other night we stayed up till 11:30PM just talking! We were kicking ourselves the next morning, but it was sure fun!
Anyway, back to date night. Tonight we're going to be making cheese fondue (poor man's version), drinking a bottle of Martinelli's and watching a red box movie. I'm excited! Now, what to call it - Home Dating? Dating Indoors? I don't know what the title should be. Maybe you could help me out. Any fun ideas for an indoor date would also be appreciated. HAPPY FRIDAY!
5 comments:
I have the same problem. Plus my c is an only child and she thinks if we go out, she's getting left out and it hurts her feelings.. so we do the same and really enjoy it. The worst was when we got a sitter for her on my birthday and my husband was going to take me out to dinner and she said and this still breaks my heart, "Mom, I'm not invited to your birthday?" I wanted to sit down and cry right there.
Once a month when we can swing it with work and other things, we try to go out to lunch when c is at school.
Oh - so many ideas. You could work on a puzzle, instead of watching a movie read a series of books together, do fun projects that you normally can't get done while the kids are awake, definitely play games. I've tried to think of things that we did when we were dating (except we didn't date - we just got married).
That sounds great! Maybe that is the route Matt and I should take. Definately would give me something to look forward to...within budget. Which is even better. Even with Mom's certificate of babysitting once a week-when it actually comes to going out too much money always gets spent. I will think of ideas...keep sharing the fun ones you do and perhaps we'll become copycats of the good ones!
Loveboxes - I didn't think about that kind of a challenge (an only child and an older one at that). Oh, I'm sure it did break your heart to hear her say that! That's a good compromise to have lunch dates. I guess it just goes to show that we can adjust and do whatever works for US!
Sarah - I'll have to teach you how to play Speed Scrabble.
Heidi - Fun projects...I hadn't thought of that. Is there such a thing?
Great ideas, Ames--as always. We do a movie every Friday night after the kids go to bed and that really means a lot to me. We almost skipped it last night because GoDaddy was tired and I almost flipped! He humored me and we ended up watching High School Musical. It's so nice to have something grownup and different once a week!
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