You know that connecting as a couple is important but it can be hard to find time to date your spouse. With work, household responsibilities and a family to take care of, finding time to date your husband can be a challenge! Breaking away for a few quiet hours alone can seem impossible.
That alone time together is essential to a strong marriage and happy family life. It might take some effort and creative thinking, but you can find time to date your spouse no matter how busy you are.
Schedule Date Night
My husband and I have had periods of consistent date nights followed by date droughts. When we find ourselves in one of the droughts, we put date nights on the schedule.
I don’t mean in the loosy-goosy way where we promise that we’ll definitely make time THIS weekend (and then don’t). I mean, we sit down with the schedule and write date night in pen. Then we follow through and make all the arrangements to ensure it happens.
Relax Your Expectations
You’ll find that making time for date night is much easier if you relax your expectations of what a date night is supposed to be.
Before you were married, going on a date was a big event. You got dolled up. He spent hours coming up with the perfect date night plan.
Many of us have a hard time letting go of that image. So when we picture date night, we think we have to set aside several hours to allow for getting ready time and the actual date event. There are plenty of other “dates” you can enjoy with your spouse that don’t mimic the dates of your early relationship.
Stay In
Change your date paradigm and don’t go out at all. You can enjoy a wonderful date night at home.
If you have young kids, arrange for a sitter to watch them in a separate part of the house. Or wait until the kids go to sleep. Or send them to the sitter’s house.
If you have older kids, arrange for them to have plans with their friends at someone else’s house so you can have the house to yourself. Or let them have the family room while you enjoy a quiet evening watching a movie or playing a board game together in your room.
Work Alone Time into Your Daily Schedule
One of my friends gets up every morning at 5 am with her husband so they can have breakfast together before he leaves for work. She gets an hour alone with him each morning while the kids are still asleep.
My husband is a night owl. So, I stay up later to chat with him or watch a TV show together before heading to bed.
Whether you have 15 minutes of overlap, or several hours, try to schedule your days so that some of your time can be spent with each other.
Meet For Lunch
You might not be able to afford or make time for a dinner date. Lunch, however, is faster and more affordable.
If one of you can’t take a full hour, or doesn’t have long enough to get to a restaurant, have the person with the more flexible schedule bring lunch to the other. Find a spot to picnic, or even share lunch in the car.
More Date Night Ideas
I hope these ideas gave you some inspiration to find time to date your spouse. If you’re looking for even more inspiration, check out these Date Night Ideas.
But remember, dates with your spouse don’t always have to be a big evening out. Challenge yourself to redefine your dates. Focus less on what to do and more on who you get to spend time with.
If you do that, you’ll find yourself enjoying more pillow talk time and getting together for an impromptu lunch date all the time.
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