Date Night at Home
You may think that with a toddler at home and other responsibilities, you don’t have time for a date night. But anyone in your situation can find time for a date night at home. You just need to put your thinking cap on and come up with different ways to have a romantic evening that doesn’t involve leaving the house. If you are trying to hide this from the kids, it may be best not to advertise the fact that you are going on a date. Make sure the babysitter knows when you will be coming home so they can leave early if they want to go out later. Keep these ideas secret and give them a code word so they know when you need some alone time without alerting your little spy who probably loves playing spy as much as reading books or solving puzzles.
Have dinner at home.
You can make dinner together on a date at home. Turn off the TV, put your phones away and make the meal together. You can make anything from fancy salads to a fancy pizza or even just make a fancy PB&J. If you want to do this with your kids, that’s fine too. Just make it a group activity instead of a date. If you want to make it special, you can use your senses to make it fun. Try eating with your non-dominant hand and seeing how that feels. Also, have a blindfold on to make the food more exciting.
Light some candles and turn off the lights.
This is a classic for a reason. It feels great to have a romantic evening at home. Put on some soft music and light some candles. Keep the lights off or very low and make sure your toddler is asleep before you start. If you or your partner has trouble falling asleep with lights on, put on an eye mask or earplugs to help you relax. If your toddler is still awake but knows you are trying to sleep, get them down as quickly as possible. Make sure they know you are trying to sleep. You may need to put a timer on the lights so they go off after a certain amount of time.
Turn on soft music to set the mood.
Find some soft music that will set the mood for a date night at home. If you don’t know where to find music for a date, ask your partner. Music can set the tone for a romantic evening. You can choose from classical music to contemporary music. Just make sure it is something you both enjoy. If you have kids and you don’t want to play music, you can try playing a sound machine with soothing sounds, like waves, rain, or crickets.
Play board games you both enjoy.
Have a romantic evening at home by playing a fun board game with your partner. You can play almost any board game or card game. You can look online or in a store to find games that work best for two people. Some games that work well for two people are Scattergories, Taboo, Balderdash or Pictionary. These games are not just romantic but also fun. If you have children, you can still play with them. Just make sure they know the rules and are having a good time.
Take a walk outside together.
If the weather allows, you can go on a walk together. This will help you relax and enjoy each other’s company. Grab a pair of comfortable shoes, and a jacket and go for a walk outside. If you are in a city, walk along the street. If you are in a rural area, walk in a park. If you are in a neighborhood that isn’t very safe to walk alone, you can walk in a mall, farmer’s market, or another public place. If you are not sure where to go, use your smartphone to find a nearby trail or park. You can use a website or an app like Map My Hike or AllTrails. These will help you find a nearby trail map. You can even use these to find trails near your city that are great for photographers.
Conclusion
Taking time for each other is important in any relationship. There are plenty of ways to have a romantic evening at home, even if you have kids. You just need to put your thinking cap on and come up with different ways to have a romantic evening that doesn’t involve leaving the house. If you are trying to hide this from the kids, it may be best not to advertise the fact that you are going on a date. Make sure the babysitter knows when you will be coming home so they can leave early if they want to go out later. Keep these ideas secret and give them a code word so they know when you need some alone time without alerting your little spy who probably loves playing spy as much as reading books or solving puzzles.