One-on-one time is hard to come by in our household between my husband and I. Date nights are sometimes just nights in with a movie and popcorn on the couch, which are fun but usually just turn into falling asleep halfway into the movie waking up to stale popcorn and bad sleeping positions. However, having a son who does not sleep well have regressed those “date nights in” even more. After the same normal routine, home from work, dinner, bedtime routine, and sometimes a short amount of time together it can feel like your just parents and not a couple. There is a need to take time away and get out of the normal routine. A way to divert your parental eyes towards one another and remember why you became partners to begin with.
My husband and I have loved to travel ever since we started dating with taking trips to Ocean City, Niagara Falls, New York City and other places within about a 6-hour driving distance. We traveled either via car or bus and enjoyed the time to experience new things together as we grew as a couple. Then for my first time ever on a flight, he planned a trip to San Diego to visit my brother and his family and also swoop in with a beautiful proposal on the beach. After that, we decided on a honeymoon in Ireland and experience fun abroad. He had been before and I dreamed of traveling to another country. (Killarney will always hold a special place in my heart!)
After 5 years of marriage and two babies later we made it back to Ireland and were able to experience the thrills of traveling abroad again. Reliving our favorite places in Killarney and Dublin as well as traveling through the countryside. We got to reconfigure our hectic lives and come back together remembering that we are together not just for our children but also for ourselves.
After that trip, I found that it is necessary to take a moment as a couple and make memories that are without your kids or other people. To get a chance to live for a moment without the day-to-day stresses of jobs and childrearing are precious. Don’t get me wrong, we love our children; however, there are moments that it is important to just be us and to remind ourselves why we merged our roads together to work together as partners, a couple, and a team.
We are very fortunate to have people in our lives that come together as our babysitters and caregivers of our children while we are away and I know not a lot of people have that. So try your best at a minimum to even just get a night out on the town, possibly an overnight stay in the city and enjoy a wake up that isn’t your children right in your face. Heck, sleep in and not have to make your own breakfast is the best feeling ever to recharge your batteries. We are trying our best to have one big date night once a month; it’s a nice goal to have!
Traveling further is based on budget and availability so we reserve that for once a year. Again it doesn’t have to be far, wherever you can afford. Don’t forget options other than driving too – there are good deals with buses (like Mega Bus) as well as trains and flights if you look for them. I know we are subscribed to deals and other ways to save us money traveling like Travelzoo, Groupon, and individual flight/rental/etc. companies. Find any way to make it work!
Your kids will thank you and your sanity will thank you in the long run; because it is important to remember who we are by getting a chance to relax and have fun. Keep the love alive and get out there you two lovebirds! You need it (and dare-say-I… Deserve it!)
