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As a busy mom, having a date night at home is easier than you think and more important than you realize. Kids come into our lives and take over, if you let them. Planning a date night at home is a great way to reconnect with your spouse and make yourself a priority. Here are 8 easy tips to help you get started:
1 – Keep it light. If you’re having a date night at home, the kids are probably at home, too. Or, you don’t have the time, energy, or money to go out. Either way, always keep the purpose of date night front and center. You want to connect with your spouse. This is not the time to discuss your relationship issues. Silence your phone and agree not to discuss bills, kids, or anything that could lead to a disagreement. And, don’t forget the wine!
2 – Late night dinner. Or, breakfast in bed. You choose based on your preference and the age of your kids. If I know we’re going to have a date night at home, I try to wear out my son with an early play date and keep him active throughout the day. When it’s time for bed, I usually have no problem getting him to go down. If you’re an early riser, the breakfast in bed might work for you. To save time, order takeout or have it delivered. And, don’t forget the wine!
3 – Watch your favorite show or movie. Even though my hubby and I have different interests in movies and television, we usually connect on a few. Every season, we have one or two shows we get into as a couple. One of my favorite ways to have date night at home is watching our shows. It’s a great way for us to bond when we are running low on time and energy. It takes very little planning. We get to spend some time alone. And, we both look forward to it. If you’re into reading, you can also read a book together and discuss it as a couple. And, don’t forget the wine!
4 – Cook a meal together. Since my husband works at night, we don’t always get a chance to eat dinner as a family. I’m usually trying to finish dinner and get the kids settled before he leaves. So, when we can share a meal together, it’s nice. But, a date night where we cook a meal together is even nicer. If you’re the one who cooks in your family, it will be fun to see your hubby try to make his way around the kitchen. If your husband is the one who cooks, accept the challenge. To make your date night at home more interesting, choose a meal neither of you have ever made. You can always try Blue Apron or Hello Fresh. Or, you can get competitive and have a bake off. Whatever you do, have fun with it. And, don’t forget the wine!
5 – Play a game. If the two of you are competitive, this is a great idea for date night at home. Pull out the chess board, checker board, UNO cards, Scrabble, or Connect Four and get to it! Playing a game together allows you to focus on each other because you’re trying to win. So, for a moment, you get to be someone other than mommy. When my husband and I play video games, we get very competitive and play to win. You can even spice it up a little to make it more interesting. Whoever wins gets a personal day, a week not doing the dishes, a foot massage, or whatever makes you smile. And, don’t forget the wine!
6 – Make a vision board. I admit, this might not be my husband’s favorite date night at home, but we do have fun with it. Maybe twice a year, we do vision boards. The goal is to map out our goals by creating a collage. We take the magazines lying around the house and cut out pictures and words that match our vision. Then, we hang them in our room as a reminder of what we’re working toward. Making vision boards will allow the two of you to discuss your personal goals, family goals, and even monetary goals in a creative way. It’s a great way to bond and communicate while having fun. Just don’t forget the wine!
7 – Hang out with another couple. If you have friends with kids, a double play date is an awesome date night at home. The kids love it because they get to stay up late and run around. And, you and your friends get to catch up and have some adult time. You can even rotate houses. We’re also lucky to have amazing friends who don’t have kids but are willing to come to us because we have an infant and six-year old. They bring pizza. We talk and laugh. And, of course, there’s always wine!
8 – Have sex. I may be stating the obvious date night at home. But, when you have kids, things change. With one kid it can be tricky to find a time and place for sex. With more than one kid, you almost have to be a creative genius. But, it’s possible! The key may be perfect timing, creativity, flexibility, and an open mind. With two kids, there’s always the possibility of one trying to crawl into our bed or waking up at just the wrong time. If you’re in the same situation, you may have to look for windows of opportunity. And, as soon as the kids fall asleep, get to it. Adjust your expectations from marathon thinking to more of a sprint. And, don’t forget the wine!
You may not have time or energy for a night out. But, you can have an amazing date night at home with a little creativity and planning. Use these 8 tips and your favorite bottle of wine to help you plan your next date night at home and continue to live your best life in balance!
