With the economy totally sucking, we’ve modified our babysitter retainer model slightly and are trying to have a few more date nights at home. If you thought it was totally unrealistic when I told you to put your kids to bed before 7pm and have a date-night, I feel you.
Here are six slightly more inventive ideas for dating during your kids waking hours, because let’s admit it, things just ain’t what they used to be.
No-babysitter dates involving the kids
It can be a tricky balance to let the kids participate and still have it feel like a date, or at least a special occasion.
- Serve me. Get the kids to serve you somehow. Big kids can prepare dinner, little kids can walk on your back and we can call it a spa/massage.
- Join us. Throw a wintry picnic in the living room, a silly way to celebrate that you’re more than a couple, you’re a family.
- Class it up. Order the best takeout in town, serve it on the good china with cloth napkins. Light candles.
- Play karaoke where you do the singing and your kids accompany with egg shakers and tambourines from their kits.
Dates while we have other childcare
We use a few different strategies to double dip on childcare we’re already using. For example, Alec and I can sometimes have coffee date before work or sneak in a lunch date or matinee when the boys are at preschool.
While the kids are distracted
I found these next two to be highly impractical for my life, but I know other parents have had success sneaking in a date while their kids are looking the other way.
- Elmo sex. As described by Mom101, “in which you plop the kids down in front of Elmo, race into the bedroom for 15 minutes, then get the 2 minute warning when the theme music comes on?”.
- Drug ’em. Benadryl the kids and make out while they’re passed out. Naw, I wouldn’t do it. But tell me if you you’ve tried it.
What kind of things do you do to have a “date night” at home?
Somewhat-related thoughts: Over on our BabyCenter column, I extol the virtues of video games for parents during naptime.
In No. 1, replace Elmo with SpongeBob and that’s what works best. The short episodes mean the theme song gets played more often and that’s really what keeps him entertained the most. At this point, even my non-English-speaking husband has become a fan of Spongebob.
Elizabeth, you cracked me up! I almost spit out my beverage. By playing the theme song more often and “that’s what keeps him entertained” are you referring to your son or your husband? I think we’re aiming for theme-song-as-warning but if it is what you guys like, that’s fine too!
Ha ha! I’m referring to my son! Oh man! You’re right, I did leave that very, very vague. Woops.
I am almost laughing too hard to type!!! Great post Heather… and even better comments. 🙂
omg this is hilarious. elmo sex!!!! it’s almost the same thing as “mobile sex” with a newborn…not that we’ve done that…
Netflix works well as a date night. Then if the movie is dumb you don’t feel bad about returning it. And tivo is a mom’s best friend because I can pause constantly. I think my hubby and I have been watching one episode of the office all week. And truthfully mobile and or swing sex is the way to go with my newborn b/c we have a remote for the mobile 🙂
Mobile or swing sex? You are killing me! I love it.
Ive given the kids a bowl of MMs and cartoons to go upstairs with my husband LOL. TOTALLY workd 🙂
We sometimes do delivery (which around here means pizza or Chinese) and Netflix after the baby’s in bed. He goes to bed at 7, so that gives us plenty of time for our at-home date.
I’ve also taken a couple hours off work in the morning so hubby and I could go out for breakfast after dropping the baby at daycare.
We find a big basket of toys in the crib does the trick for our toddler. The novelty lasts until he has played with and tossed them all out.
The Elmo/Spongebob suggestion made me laugh out loud because the first time we did that with our son was on vacation 2 years ago (Thomas the Train was the cartoon of choice at the time)… needless to say we came home with the best souvenir from that trip… our DAUGHTER!!! Now Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is our que… that and a good bedroom door lock!
Wow. Is it horrible that we use an actual, honest-to-goodness movie? Like a 60-90 min one? I mean…our condo is pretty small, so we can hear him the whole time, laughing, etc. so we know he’s safe…but only 15 min? Really? For both? I’m just so impressed. LOL
I really wish you would remove the drugging children comment. It has become a horrifying epidemic and shouldn’t even be taken lightly. I had no idea people even did this till Casey Anthony.
This upset me reading drug your children i would never drug my children just to get in a quicky if you cant sacrifice for them then dont have them
Many people desire to spend time alone with their spouse, to clean up nice (a.k.a. to look attractive to their spouse), to go out on dates, and to enjoy their time together. Despite that desire, Care.com reported that 85% of spouses wish they went on dates more frequently, and 30% of parents have not been on a date in more than six months. According to The National Marriage Project, the more time you spend together as a couple, the less likely you are to get divorced.
The drugging comment made me LOL. I’m a chemist, and can tell you with absolute certainty that a small dose of diphenhydramine is absolutely safe, and a great way to calm nerves (on top of being a classic antihistamine). In fact, doctors sometimes prescribe antihistamines as non narcotic anxiety options, even for adults. There’s no risk of dependence, and drug elimination is easily accomplished, and has no negative consequence on the anatomy.
While you shouldn’t be doing this frequently, infrequently it is completely fine.