I look forward to date night every week. It is one of the highlights of my week. Date night is the perfect time to bond with your husband on an emotional level, and forget about your daily tasks and other responsibilities. It is about developing a deeper relationship with your husband.
It is important as a couple to intentionally make time for the two of you to have one on one time together as often as possible, but at least once per week.
Spending quality time together doesn’t have to cost a ton of money, nor does it have to be this big huge extravaganza. You can easily have a fun date night at home just spending time together. My husband and I have been known to have a fun time just sitting on the couch doing a crossword puzzle together.
The key is to spend time together without any distractions or other responsibilities, so I do recommend sending the kids to grandmas house for the night, or schedule a time during the week to have a date night at home once the kids are in bed. Find things you love to do together like going to the movies or out to dinner. Make every attempt to not let obstacles stand in your way. The night should be about the two of you and nothing else.
Date Night Ideas:
- Go to the movies.
- Join Netflix and have movie night at home.
- Go out to dinner.
- Order take out and have dinner at home.
- Go to the electronics store and play video games.
- Take a stroll downtown.
- Have a picnic.
- Laser tag, play pool, bowling, arcade.
- Browse around the local furniture store.
- Visit model homes.
- Do a crossword puzzle together.
- Drive around town talking about what’s on your mind.
- Play board games.
- Paint the house.
I know what it’s like to be a busy family, but I also know that is no excuse for not putting time, energy, and effort into your marriage. Date night may seem like a luxury, but I feel it is the key to a happy and fulfilled marriage.
How can we expect to feel connected to someone we never spend time with – or don’t even know?
I would like to encourage everyone reading this to start scheduling date night at home once a week, and schedule a date night out once a month. I’m sure that once you start making date night a necessary part of your marriage you will eventually make spending quality time with your husband a regular part of your daily routine.
About CSAHM
My husband and I rarely actually get a night out away from the house because we can’t afford babysitters and don’t have family living nearby (although we do have wonderful church members who will occasionally stay with the kids!). So, we have to be creative at home. We put the kids (7, 5, and 2) to bed at 7:00 for book time and then devote the evening to each other. We use a lot of the ideas you listed. May I add a few other things we do?
- Fondue night. We usually get popcorn shrimp, cheese sticks, and then chop up some inexpensive steak. Such fun!
- Hibachi night. Bring the electric griddle into the living room and cook on it while sitting on the couch visiting or watching a movie.
- Design/create something. We’ve built bookshelves (no, neither of us are that handy at it, but we had a great time!), designed our dream house, rearranged furniture, etc. Such fun!
- Goal-setting. Sometimes we enjoy sitting and talking about things we’d like to do or see accomplished in the coming months/years. It’s a good time to “get on the same page.”
- Kitchen creativity. We’ve made homemade pretzels, homemade caramel popcorn, different desserts, etc. It’s fun to be creative together.
Hope that adds a few more ideas!
Those are some really great ideas! Thank you for sharing.
Lately my husband and I are listening to a lot of the Mark Levin Radio Show together … it goes well with that quality time spent working on our tax return!
Normally, a favorite activity is scrabble. He always wins, or usually, but that’s o.k. I just turn the other cheek and I am glad to see him having such a good time … simple pleasures.
Fun topic! Thanks!
Viveca
Date night is so important for couples. Thank you so much for writing on this. My husband have 10 kids & will celebrate our 19th anniversary this July. We have our date night every Monday night. We guard that time very carefully. Sometimes all we can afford is an hour or 2 in the coffee shop, but most nights we have dinner & spend a few hours of none interupted time for just us. It has been such a blessing to both of us.