kfeusse Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 I would love to start having a date night with my husband. What do you do...where do you go? We live in a rural area and there aren't many options...so I am curious as to how to do this. thoughts??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Not regularly. We are very lucky that my mom lives a couple blocks away and takes the kids overnight when we do have date nights. It's hard with all the kids' activities to get time. When we do, our favorite thing is antique shopping and dinner. Then just hanging out at night. We have several friends who are musicians. We sometimes catch one of their gigs. We live in Las Vegas, but never hit the strip and shows are crazy expensive. But when we were younger, we loved to hang out in the Forum shops at Caesar's Palace and watch the tourists. We'd nurse a drink and count fanny packs and gold shoes. Whoever got the highest number won bragging rights. We also like Bingo. We make up characters and maintain them throughout the bingo sessions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coralloyd Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 We do, every other week. We switch off weeks with my best friend and her husband. We live in a small town. Usually we go out to eat or coffee. If the weather is nice we will go to a well lit park and walk. We have even been known to just walk around Walmart. Sometimes we like to go back home and enjoy some alone time ;). It is just nice being together without interruption. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 For us, 'date night' has come to mean any period of time we escape the house w/out kids in tow. So, 'date night' could mean dinner, or grocery shopping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Yes...although all the grand babies are visiting and they are on hold until they leave. We usually go to dinner, movie or bookstore. Sometimes we pick up dinner and ride to a nice quiet spot and enjoy the outdoors and dinner with all the quiet. :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saraha Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Well, we have date night every week, but it looks a little different. Every Thursday the kids go to bed early and my husband picks us up something to eat, like Subway or Chinese that the kids don't like, and maybe some ice cream. Then we watch a movie and eat. There is NO talk about kids, school, housework, to do list or work. Usually Thursday morning I'll check out the headlines and find a few things to talk about. We will watch Survivor and the Amazing race online if it is time for them, or else we watch a movie, eat and enjoy some grown up drinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Yep, we have moved mountains to stay close to my parents to have a family unit to grow up with. My kids have a sleepover every single Friday night and spend Saturday there. THey have a dozen friends on the block (I lived there before I was married too) and each have their BEST friends within 3 houses. It's practically our second home. DH and I stay up way too late on Friday and party, then DH sleeps in and I go hang out and visit mom, and my dad and I are food shopping buddies. And he loves IKEA and will drive me there. I heart my parents despite the times they drive me nuts. Our marriage turned around once we started having one night to spend time together. And it literally is the only time we have together alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susankenny Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 No, not regularly. We do enforce bedtime though & that creates time for us to be alone and really enjoy each other. Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Typically we go out to an early dinner then probably the store and veg at home for a while. Then head out to hang out with some friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 What do you do? :lol:TeA paaarty!:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 We live in a rural area as well. We'll drive 30 miles to the nearest large city & go to a movie or go out to eat. Sometimes we go shopping. Sometimes our children will stay overnight with family & hubby and I will have a romantic evening at home. We try to do this at least once every 3-4 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgiana Daniels Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 We have a date night about once every other month. It's so rare, we really don't know what to do besides the ol' boring go out to eat! It's definitely more fun when we double with our friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 No. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 We have season tickets to the Shakespeare Theater. It forces us to go out. We usually try to get dinner first to make it a proper date. And sometimes fancy cupcakes after. :) It's always stressful to get sitting (we have a couple of sitters to call on, sometimes the kids spend the night somewhere...) but it's worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristyB in TN Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 We had a date night every week when the kids were small. Now that 2 are away at college and the youngest is busy with sports and friends and old enough to stay home alone we don't go out much. :001_huh: we go for a run, maybe, and stop for Thai food take out to bring home and eat on the couch. It is an unexpected turn of events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
higginszoo Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Sometimes we go out to eat (often to exotic locales such as Shake and Steak or the IKEA restaurant), often, it's grocery shopping or other shopping that needs to be done. The kids are so busy right now that it's usually between dropping them off and picking them up from some activity (where either they're all gone, or one of our teens is home with the one who can't be left on her own). Or, if somehow neither of the teens has class or work during the day, I might go meet dh for lunch -- he works in one of those new, fancy, open-air malls. Sometimes that is just Subway and then shopping for something we need, but sometimes there are good discounts at fancy places for employees of the companies who lease office space in the upper floors like dh (his office is right over Maggianos, and they bring up coupons). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthyfamily Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 DH and I have date night every week....but ours is at home, always on Monday night. We make dinner together and get the kids settled for their own time together (which means they get to watch a couple of their fave tv shows and munch dinner together). Then we sit at the table and have dinner together, which always includes a special dessert that we made. Then we'll play a game together, a board game, a video game or work on our puzzle (we love to do puzzles together after the kids go to bed) and then we'll watch a movie together. Usually about half way through the movie we'll stop to make some popcorn and candy. We have a really large flat screen in our family room, which offers a pretty authentic movie going experience. We justified the cost of this because we don't have cable and we almost never go to the theater. Then after the kids go to bed...maybe a little TeA time. :) We love how low key and inexpensive this is, it means we get to do this every week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebacabunch Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 We have a date every week. My dd is 12 so she loves earning the cash for babysitting. We usually go sat afternoon and we will do a variety of things. Sometimes we go for ice cream, sometimes a nice sit down lunch, sometimes a drive, sometimes we get mcdonald's and go to the lookout by our house (we are lucky enough to live by the beach). We stopped trying to make it a big production and focused on just doing something. When we miss a week we are bickering by the weekend so we try not to miss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Yes, we do now. My marriage has improved 100% since we started doing this. Sometimes we go to a friend's, sometimes we go shopping, and one time we stayed in (locked ourselves in our room and watched a non-kid movie.) We are now first and foremost a married couple, not parents. We spent many years being "child-centered" but not anymore. We still do stuff with our kids, we think through decisions keeping their best interests in mind, etc. Sooner than you think the kids will be gone and only the marriage will be left.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delighted3 Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Yes, we usually go out to dinner about once a week. Occasionally we got out with another couple. Joy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 We did faithfully. My husband passed away suddenly last summer and our weekly date nights were one of the things that helped us have such a great relationship. We had our favorite spots -- usually somewhere we could talk over a good meal and then be alone. :001_smile: Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 We did faithfully. My husband passed away suddenly last summer and our weekly date nights were one of the things that helped us have such a great relationship. We had our favorite spots -- usually somewhere we could talk over a good meal and then be alone. :001_smile: Lisa :grouphug: You have inspired me to really treasure and protect our time together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 We did faithfully. My husband passed away suddenly last summer and our weekly date nights were one of the things that helped us have such a great relationship. We had our favorite spots -- usually somewhere we could talk over a good meal and then be alone. :001_smile: Lisa :grouphug: You have inspired me to really treasure and protect our time together. :iagree: For sure. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 A few times a month. We mostly go for walks, roller skating, record stores, sometimes movies, occasionally a cheap dinner, coffee shop etc. Sometimes we go on a bike ride without the kids. Our favorite babysitting arrangement is one where the kids are gone and we get to be home alone, in quiet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Season tickets are your friend, because they make you do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I would love to start having a date night with my husband. What do you do...where do you go? We live in a rural area and there aren't many options...so I am curious as to how to do this. thoughts??? Every other weekend we have Thursday night and Friday night childfree...we usually veg in our room--we have not even been married 2 years.. We just moved about 45 minutes from a fair size city...hoping to get out more when dh is feeling better and gets back to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Well.... we don't call them "date nights".... nor do we go out on specific nights/days on a regular basis but we go out together, sans kids, on a frequent basis. Our kids are older though, no babysitter required. We enjoy "doing" things together, so we do... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wisco Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 We have a babysitter come every Saturday night and we rotate between taking each of the boys out for a special night with Mom and Dad, and going out alone. So, every fourth Saturday is date night. We usually go shopping and out to a late dinner, or go to dinner early and then to a movie. Now that my oldest can keep an eye on his brothers for a short time during the day, we also like to go on quick "day dates" for lunch, coffee or just for a drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 We have a babysitter come every Saturday night and we rotate between taking each of the boys out for a special night with Mom and Dad, and going out alone. So, every fourth Saturday is date night. We usually go shopping and out to a late dinner, or go to dinner early and then to a movie. Now that my oldest can keep an eye on his brothers for a short time during the day, we also like to go on quick "day dates" for lunch, coffee or just for a drive. This is cool. I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 We go out at least once a month. dinner boardgame at coffee shop library grocery shopping hardware/building store electronics store record store walk/hike/bicycling park/gardens sculpture park observatory class at park district movie We also live in a rural area but there is a college town 30 minutes away. Most often we stay in town, go for a walk, eat dinner, play a board game, or go grocery shopping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Rarely ever. Unless my family is in town visiting so we have a babysitter, then we usually go out for something to eat, then shopping - without kids along - it's such a weird sensation. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 We don't have date 'nights' but we go out alone during the day on weekends. The girls are old enough to stay home for several hours alone during the day. We will go eat, run errands, or just hang out downtown/at the beach without the kiddos. We also run any errands in the afternoons during the week alone so we can catch up with each other. The girls are happy they don't have to tag along to everything, especially boring errands, and our nights are still spent all together, which we enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 We go to the Farmer's Market together on Sunday mornings. We usually go to lunch afterwards. It has been wonderful. We only started after the oldest kid got to be 13 and I felt comfortable leaving her with the other kids for a few hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosy Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 We have just (as of about a week ago) started leaving all 4 kids home alone together for an hour and getting coffee or having lunch in the grocery store deli. We are really enjoying being able to spontaneously spend time alone together--we haven't had that since our first year of marriage. Scheduled dates with a sitter have always felt like more trouble than they were worth to me. Cleaning the house, coming up with an easy dinner, paying a ton of money on the sitter, and then my husband always wanted to go out for a nice dinner...I much prefer a quick, low-maintenance Starbucks date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somo_chickenlady Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 For the past year we have done a date night on Wednesday evenings when DS is at youth group. Just this week they switched youth group from Wed to Sun, and rather than lasting from 6-830pm, it is only from 6-730pm, and it is too hard to do anything in that time period when it takes a least 20 minutes to get anywhere from our church. We used to go out to eat, and then do any mid week shopping we needed to do b/c we can only get to a Walmart or grocery store twice a week. Now, we are going to have to start doing our date night on another night and just leave DS home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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