Date night ideas for busy parents

Being a parent is a full-time job, which leaves you very little time for yourself or your spouse. Quality time for things like dates can fall by the wayside when you’re juggling the commitments of school, work, cooking, housework, homework, and other responsibilities. Taking care of your relationship is very important, and regular date nights should be something that all couples, even parents, should try to find time for in their busy lives. That might sound easier said than done, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. If you’re a busy parent, here are some good ideas for a date night that you might actually be able to find time for.  

Go For A Walk

You don’t have to take up hiking, but if you’ve some spare time, why not head out for a walk together? Ban phones on your walk so you can enjoy each other’s company instead. If you have more spare time for your walk, you could stop for a drink or some lunch on the way. 

Have A Romantic Meal At Home

You don’t have to leave the house to have a great date night, so if you’re finding it hard to get a babysitter or don’t have much spare cash, you can still have a romantic dinner at home. Put the kids to bed early, cook something special (or order in if you aren’t much of a cook or don’t have time to cook), dress up as though you’re going out, put on some music, and set the table like a restaurant, with candles, flowers, and a Richard Haworth tablecloth. 

Take The Day Off Together

If you both work, try to take some annual leave on the same day for something other than family time. If the kids are in school, you can use the time to do something together. You could go for lunch, go to see a movie, have a childfree day out, or anything else that you both enjoy. 

Go To The Theatre

If you can get a babysitter, a great way to spend quality time together is to soak up a little culture and see a play. If you have more time and money to spare, you could look for a theatre package with dinner and a hotel stay including. Visit somewhere new, spend the day sightseeing, or shopping, have dinner, then see a show and spend the night in a hotel. Making a weekend of it is a great way to reconnect with your spouse if you haven’t been able to get much alone time lately. 

Plan A Picnic

Get some time together in the great outdoors and plan a picnic. If you know somewhere great for picnicking that also has a good play area, you can take the children along too. They’ll be kept busy on the playground while you and your spouse can spend some time quality time together. 

Have Brunch

Have brunch, lunch, or dinner, or whatever meal you can find the time to have together. Eating together can be a good bonding experience, so whether you have breakfast, brunch, or any other meal together, it doesn’t really matter what it is. Try a local cafe, bar, or restaurant, or cook something special at home. 

Work Out Together

Date nights are meant to be fun, but if you’re both heading to the gym or another workout, why not do it together? Go for a bike ride, a run, or to the gym together. Choose something you both enjoy doing. If you can find regular childcare, you could try an exercise class together, or something like a tennis club. 

Try A New Hobby Together

A good way of making sure you have regular date nights is to get a new hobby or go to a new class together. It is often easy to let other demands on your time take priority over date night, so signing up for a course, lessons, or other commitment will help you to make time for them. Look for something that you can do at the same time your kids are busy with their own after-school activities. 

Do Some Stargazing

There’s nothing more romantic than looking at the stars with someone you love, and you can do it in your own garden. Put the kids to bed, head outside, and look up at the stars. You could take a glass of wine or a hot chocolate outside with you too, depending on the weather. Turn the house lights off, and hope for a clear night. 

I hope I’ve inspired you will some date night ideas

ChrissyJ xxx