Moms of young children can feel like all their time and energy is devoted to the children as their relationships with their husbands fade. Afternoon dates on the weekend are a great way to reconnect as a couple, feel like an adult again and reduce the stress of leaving small children with a babysitter.
Afternoon Dating Reduces Stress
Bath time and bedtime with small children is often the most stressful for parents. Married couples with kids may wonder if a babysitter can be trusted to go through the complete bedtime ritual that the child expects. Will the child accept the babysitter or will the situation be very upsetting for the child? Questions like these make it unlikely that spouses are willing to go out in the evening and more likely they will spend their time together worrying about the children.
But afternoon dating skips the most difficult time of the day. Dates in the afternoon make use of some of the best time of the day for small children and some of the easiest time for babysitters. There are no excuses not to get out of the house in the afternoon.
“Being a good mom or dad does not mean being a martyr, and even the best of parents get tired of changing diapers, playing Barbies, and picking up toys,” says Tracy Line in “How to Date Your Spouse (and Why You Should!).” “Remembering that you are a human being with a personality and interests can be very refreshing,” Line says.
Easier to Find a Babysitter
Another benefit to going out on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon is there is a better chance of finding a babysitter. It may be next to impossible to find a babysitter on Friday and Saturday nights, especially on weekends around holidays like Valentine’s Day. Scheduling an afternoon date that ends before 6 p.m. can enable an enterprising babysitter to take on two jobs in one day. Establishing a relationship with a babysitter and being reliable about coming home on time will make it more likely a babysitter can be found for regular gigs.
“Start by asking for recommendations – at the soccer field, the preschool, or the YMCA. In addition, many neighborhood associations and churches maintain lists of available babysitters,” suggest Line.
If all else fails, find parents with similar parenting philosophies and exchange babysitting one afternoon a month. Call it a play-date for the children and have a set number of hours that each couple will be gone.
Afternoon Dates Work All Year Long
A nice perk of going out on a date with a spouse in the afternoon is that it makes the most of the best part of the day to be outside. Going out in the afternoon can make scheduling an outdoor activity as part of the date easier. It is usually warmest and brightest in the afternoon in any season so the temperature may allow for some outdoor activity that would not be possible at night. Also, outdoor activities can be inexpensive and a great way to keep a relationship fresh. Whether it’s taking a stroll through some shops or hiking a trail, being outside can help couples reconnect with each other.
Afternoon dates are a great way for married couples to spend time together. Going out in the afternoon helps to alleviate some of the nervousness that leaving young children with babysitters can cause. It’s easier to find babysitters or another couple who wants to exchange childcare. And there are many more opportunities for outdoor activities in the afternoon.
For more ways to reconnect with a spouse, read Give the Gift of Time Together This Year.
Genna Cockerham - Genna Cockerham has been writing online since November 2008. She served as Marriage Feature Writer from December 2008 to February ...
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