Date Night – Really?

Yes, really! All couples, regardless of whether they have been together for a short period of time or married for a number of years, need quality time together.

It’s like water to a plant. One of the best ways to do that is DATE NIGHT. It sounds clichéd, but it can result in a number of benefits including improved communication, increased intimacy, and relaxation, among others.

The following five tips will help you and your partner get the most out of your time together. Check them out!

1. Make it a regular event: For some couples, this may be monthly and, for others, it may be weekly. It depends on your needs as a couple, but it needs to be a priority. Caring for your relationship is critical to your family’s success and emotional wellbeing. Schedule a babysitter every other Saturday night, for instance, or ask your in-laws to watch the kids one night and your best friend to sit with the kids the next time.

2. Use this time to talk about yourselves, not the usual issues. For example, use this time to ask your partner what he/she has been thinking about lately, if she/he has had any dreams or nightmares, if something’s really made him/her laugh recently, etc. While it’s easy to talk about work or about the kids, try to be mindful about using this time to talk about yourselves—your thoughts, feelings, dreams, fears, wishes, and so forth. Sometimes it’s also nice to reminisce about good memories together.

3. Do a new activity. It’s really fun to try something that neither of you has ever done before. Try paddle boarding or go to the ballet. Step outside of your comfort zone and learn something new. It’s feels amazing to grow together and can invigorate couples who may feel like they are stuck in a rut. This is also beneficial for couples who may feel like they don’t know what to talk about with their partner and need an activity instead of a dinner date.

4. Create time to talk, especially if your date activity makes it tricky to do so. For example, if you really want to see the latest flick, then go for it! However, make sure you and your partner have coffee or dessert afterwards and discuss that movie. What did it make you think about? How did it make you feel?

5. Surprise each other and keep it fun! Take turns planning the date. After a hectic week, it’s really nice to have someone else make the plans. Give your partner the date, time, and a suggestion about what to wear and you do the rest. Or, both of you come up with free or inexpensive date night ideas and choose the one that sounds the best to both of you. Make it a competition to see who can come up with the best date night on the smallest budget. The winner may even be rewarded by his/her partner.

Regardless of what you do on your Date Night or how often you go, enjoy this time with your partner. If the first Date Night doesn’t knock your socks off, try it again and sometimes again. Often times, couples need to practice spending quality time together, especially if they’ve been together a long time or had conflict. Most couples, though, report that they enjoy themselves on Date Nights and that their relationship benefits as a result.