We’ve talked about our need for a reoccurring date night and dreamt about having one for as long as we’ve had children. Unfortunately, it has taken us 10 years (and a marriage experiment!) to make it happen.
It’s sad. We own it.
Strong Marriage Experiment Day 10 – Schedule Regular Date Night
Find a trustworthy sitter and set up a permanent date night at least a couple times a month
This challenge was an important one because it forced us to nail down the ever elusive and oh so coveted regularly scheduled date night. Almost every married couple we know that has that special spark has made dating each other a priority.
Unfortunately, we have not.
There are a million reasons why couples with small children have a hard time pulling regular dates off but ultimately, despite various challenges throughout the years (schedules, finances, living away from family, exhausting responsibilities, professional obligations, etc.), we just didn’t value it enough to make it happen.
We can’t get those years back but we do want to do better going forward.
Luckily we found a lovely young lady in our neighborhood that is trustworthy and great with our kids. We’ve been on a trial run but today she agreed to babysit for us twice a month so we can finally have a reoccurring date night!
Truthfully, we don’t even care at this point what we do on our dates, just that have them and we are away from our kids spending time ALONE.
One time, when we were on the road full time, we were so desperate for some time alone that we tried to sneak in a little date at Wendy’s of all places — with the kids in the next booth over. Class and romance matter little when you reach that level of desperation. It lasted all of five minutes before full scale pandemonium and breakdown.
We tried.
I am looking forward to more moments when we force the daily grind to slow for a few hours so we can peel away and get alone.
Date night gives us a chance to step outside of our responsibilities and remember just how much of a gift we’ve been given in each other. Not to mention more time for me to admire those beautiful green eyes and that ahhhmazing dimple David has on the left side of his face.
We have some making up to do!
