This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Tony’s Pizza, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #tonyspizzeria http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV.
Being the mother of many small children makes it a challenge to spend any romantic time alone with my husband.
Juggling my own work schedule, my husband’s schedule, homeschooling and caring for a newborn baby and a house full of littles means my downtime is at a premium. It’s no wonder that my date night dresses have been gathering dust!
Instead of whining and complaining about not getting time alone with my husband, I conspired with my best friend. She offered to help out with childcare for a few hours so that I could plan a date lunch with Brett.
Ready for some date night tips from a mother of six? Take notes, then get out your calendar and start planning!
Tips for Date Night – Even with Lots of Children at Home
Plan Ahead
Having a big family eliminates date night spontaneity. Some folks may balk at having to schedule dates, but I’m a firm believer that if you don’t schedule something, it tends to fall off the radar.
I’m shooting for a monthly date night with Brett. If you’re super lucky, schedule a date every week!
Keep Meal Ideas Simple and Easy
For date nights at home, I don’t have time (or the energy) for a big dinner production. I need something that’s quick and easy, but still delicious.
During a recent grocery shopping trip to Walmart, I spied Tony’s Pizza in the freezer aisle. I stocked up, using a coupon to help save my grocery budget. (grab it while you can!)
Pizza is the perfect quick lunch or dinner for dates. At home, I pull together one of our favorite salads and throw a Tony’s Meat Trio Pizza in the oven. In 15 minutes, your hot meal is ready to go!
Want to splurge a little more? How about an easy dessert to enjoy? Be sure to make enough for the little ones, too!
2. Get Pretty
At home most days, I’m in the ‘mom uniform’ of yoga pants and t shirts, potentially smeared with peanut butter or spit-up from the baby. I fall into the trap of not ‘dressing up’ since I’m not going anywhere.
Pamper yourself and your husband. Grab a pretty dress or skirt and fix your hair – even if you’re just going out for coffee!
3. Do Something New
Brett and I have a ‘date night jar’ at home. We each came up with 20 unique date night ideas and placed them in a jar. When we’re going out, we pull a slip out of the jar, and if time permits, we follow the ideas there.
Some of the ideas on tap for us:
- Frisbee Golf
- Visit a local bourbon distillery
- Paint pottery together
- Rent a bicycle downtown
4. Laugh Together
It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind of parenting, housekeeping, paying bills and working and forget who you are underneath all those hats.
Take the time to find the funny in everyday life and share a giggle or two with your husband. Brett and I laugh about things that happen around here, whether it’s Maeve drinking my coffee creamer, or me losing my keys for the hundredth time.
Poke fun at yourself, too. Trust me – I haven’t ridden a bike in years, so when we rent one to ride downtown together, there’s bound to be some comedic material at hand.
5. Talk – But Not About the Kids
My husband and I live together, but sometimes, I feel like we go weeks without having uninterrupted conversation.
Don’t spend your date time going through your family to do list. Aim for spending your date time time together learning more about each other, no matter how long you’ve been married. I love the conversation prompts over at iMom – print these out and stick a few in your purse for inspiration.
6. Unplug for the Day or Evening
I’m pretty plugged in to social media in all forms …. Instagram, Google Plus, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and more.
When you’re on a date with your husband, leave your phone in your purse. You don’t need to check Facebook while you’re having dinner. Use that time wisely – connect with your husband and plan for your next date together.
7. Stay Up Late, or Get Up Early
In certain seasons of life, swinging a sitter is nearly impossible. Right now, our newborn will be a third wheel on our dates until I feel comfortable leaving him. That doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy time with Brett.
What about getting the kids to bed early, then having a pizza and wine night at home? If you’re not a night owl, what about getting up a little early and enjoying coffee and doughnuts in your kitchen together?
Be creative, and make things work for you.
Need more resources for date ideas?
What tips do you have to share for squeezing in time for dates?
Many thanks to Tony’s Pizza for helping make my date time with my husband a delicious success! Stop by and check them out on Facebook or chat them up on Twitter @tonyspizzas
Love the tips! I have 3 kiddos and my youngest is 5 months old so it’s hard to go out on dates. However, I love a date night in. We’ll watch a movie, eat a yummy meal and enjoy adult conversation.
These are some great tips. We recently had our third child so the idea of a late evening or morning date is a great idea. 🙂
I find it really hard to schedule time. I am not a late night person, but my hubby works late. Plus when the sitters want you to return the favor they want to stay out late too and its so hard to watch their kids late. I am getting better at it.
Great job! We can’t afford to go out, and as I’m a childminder, there’s no one to watch our children, so on Saturdays the kids go to bed a little earlier and then hubby and I have a frozen pizza or nachos and snuggle up on the sofa and watch tv or a movie. It may not be glamorous, but it’s become a looked-forward to routine over the past 6 months that we’ve been doing it.
You have such a gorgeous family! We always have Tony’s in our freezer!