I am assuming that I am not the only rookie mom for whom leaving my child to be put to bed by a babysitter for the first time was scary. My kid never took a bottle, so I pretty much had to be there for a bedtime nursing for the first ten months. This feeling is the opposite of freedom, by the way.
Once your baby is reliably sleeping between 8 pm and midnight or beyond, you can resume the life you used to lead in restaurants and cafes by making dessert dates with girlfriends or your partner. This is the least stressful babysitter situation possible. Pretty much anyone is qualified to lay on your couch and watch TV while you enjoy a short evening outing, right?
Put your baby to bed the way you like. When you are confident he is asleep, head out to any of your favorite restaurants. Order dessert or a drink. Enjoy ambience. Leave.
This is your 31st rookie mom challenge. Let us know when you try it by commenting below or telling us on our Facebook page. Baby too young for this one? Pick a different challenge.
In Boston there is a wonderful place for dessert only – it’s called Finale Desserts, and right now there is a location in Cambridge, and a new restaurant opening in Coolidge Corner in Brookline. They have amazing desserts, and even offer appetizers, if you need a bite to eat before going for the chocolate! http://www.finaledesserts.com/
Oh, I almost forgot, another place for a good dessert experience is the chain of fondue restaurants called “The Melting Pot” – my sister and her husband loved the restaurant so much, they’re opening one in Durham, North Carolina! They do a range of chocolate fondues, and have a great wine selection (including champagne) as well as mixed drinks. Because it’s fondue, it’s a nice, slow process, so you actually get to talk to your spouse before the dessert is gone! I’ve been to the restaurant in Tucson, Arizona, and apparently there’s one opening in Boston too. I can’t wait!
Went out for coffee, Jazz and Chocolate cake with a few girlfriends tonight! OH MY GOODNESS. What a wonderful way to start the weekend! Thanks for this tip.
Whitney I just love this idea. I hated the idea of having a “stranger” put my babies to bed. Leaving after they were asleep though is a great way to do it. And hey, anything that gets me dessert is a very good idea 🙂
or take the baby with you. when lucas was a little baby (still comfortable in the baby bjorn and didn’t have a regular sleep time), i went to meet friends a couple times at rivoli restaurant and ate dessert standing up at the bar (with a sleeping baby in the bjorn). once they even gave me a glass of their fancy grape juice, for free.
Hi, a new reader to your site and although my three boys range in ages from 3 yrs to 15 years. As we have recently moved house and country, I am uncomfortable with a sitter putting my three year old down. So I love this desert idea and plan on trying it next week when I meet friends for dinner! Lisa (myfamilyjungle.com)
I’m one of the lucky ones – my babysitters have always been my kids’ grandparents. My oldest is 4 and never been watched by anyone other than family. I love the idea of getting out just for a short time, though. It’s something my husband and I don’t do enough of.
Is this post about me? 🙂 I did this @ Heather and Alec’s when I came over to borrow their camp stove. I stayed for 90210 and they went out for desesrt. If your friends are like me with no TV at home, they will relish the opportunity to lay on your couch and watch trashy TV for a couple hours.
I’m so glad you shared this idea with mamas, especially new ones. Going out after my kids were in bed was the only way I’d get out, especially the first few years. We don’t have family in town and weren’t comfortable with sitters so we’d often have girls-night or guys-night out. Once we agreed that a couple’s night out was necessary (which took years!), we had sitters that would come after we put the kiddos to bed (thank goodness for early bedtimes!). Now, at 5 and 3 years old, we’re comfortable with someone else putting them to bed.
Sometimes, it’s nice to have date night at home too. We’ll order nice dinner in and rent a movie or just sit on our deck and enjoy a glass of wine together. It feels like a night out and saves us money so we can afford a sitter for events or nights we go out with other couples.
When my daughter was about 6 months old, I used this tactic to finally get back to the gym! But I definitely think a dessert night out is much better than the treadmill 😉
we’ve been considering this. Would really like to see a certain movie in the theatre and still do not want to do the whole babysitter thing (10month baby girl). The idea of hiring someone to just ‘be here’ is pretty appealing. Or we might just wait until it comes out on video.
We do this regularly, but without paying a sitter. A mom friend and I swap date nights. We both put our kids to bed, and the “sitter” heads over to the other house while dad stays home. The other couple goes out for dinner, desert, whatever. Our kids are now reliable-sleeping toddlers so it is really easy, but when they were babies it was a great comfort to know that if my son woke up, he would be cared for by someone he knows and who is on the same page in terms of handling sleep. Date nights have been key to everyone’s sanity, and this arrangement makes it easy on the budget too.
This is still a tough one for me. My baby is 11 mo now and goes to bed at 6:30ish. Problem with going out is I have no one to sit with him and I’m usually too tired anyway.