Couples – make time for a date (without the kids) – words Alexa Wang
When a couple have kids, their lives change forever. Gone are the carefree days and nights, having too much to drink and partying the night away a distant memory.
A new kind of sleepless night takes over – one of crying, teething babies and midnight nappy changes. It’s a very different world. It can be quite a shock for the couple involved.
Well now a report by Legal and General has revealed that only 36% of parent couples aged 18-44 spend quality time together once or twice a week. This I can easily imagine. We all know that we should be keeping the relationship alive but time is suddenly in such short supply that niceties often go out of the window. In fact 67% of us agree that date nights could really help and are important but how to grab back the time?
39% of parents find it difficult to come up with ideas for a date night and more than half would appreciate any advice and suggestions. The problem is it can be very expensive. It’s not just the meal or event itself and taxis – it’s the cost of babysitting.
The new report suggests a good way around this is to start with micro-dating. Rather than going for the big flash date instead start with moments of intimacy in easy to manage ways. It could be something as simple as facetiming each other during your lunch break. Not quite the height of romance but at least it’s a moment you can set aside away from the kids to appreciate one another. Or you could at least snatch time for a coffee and a cake whilst your children take part in an activity. Even making dinner together will give you time to chat and catch up. A shoulder massage is another way of getting together, relaxing and having a chat.
After a few of these micro-dates you could then build up to the real thing – a real-life grown-up date without the kids. It is possible – even if to parents with younger kids this can seem like a dream. Babysitting though thankfully is getting easier. There are now apps and websites available such as Bubble, Yoopies and Sitters which allow parents to find verified babysitters who have undergone an online background check.
So, you can escape as a couple from the nappies and gripes and again enjoy each other’s company for a night.
You can find more information of the report and its findings here
