date night with the PH...
>> September 13, 2010
BC (that's before child) we used to get out at least once every other week, if not weekly. Then the Little Man arrived, we were called to a district that is hours away from family babysitters, and our date life went down the toilet.
Ugh.
I won't romanticize our date-night success. Honestly, it's an area we know we need to improve in. We do try to spend at least one evening a week together - although most of the time we end up just staying home and snatching a few quality minutes after baby's bedtime.
But we know that a pastoral marriage critically depends on regular quality time focused on each other. Otherwise you can grow apart without even realizing it, and suddenly realize you have very little in common. So here are a few (inexpensive and easy) ideas to stay connected:
If you can't get out of the house, make a regular couch date - tell the kids (if you have them) that this is 20 minutes of mommy and daddy time.
Pray together at night before you fall asleep, or first thing in the morning when you wake up. Share your thoughts and ideas and burdens with each other and God.
If you have kids, get a babysitter once a month and go out for a meal. Lunch can often be easier than dinner - unless your babysitter is skilled at bath and bedtime routines.
Sit on the living room floor and play a board game or card game. Or do a puzzle together at the breakfast table. Dates don't have to be fancy, just intimate.
Read a book out loud together, in installments. Take turns doing the reading, and picking the books.
Go walking or hiking together. Get out of the house on family day and enjoy nature - especially as the autumn weather gets cooler and more comfortable.
Sign up for a local daily coupon (like www.groupon.com) to get fabulous deals and discounts on nice restaurants and activities in your area.
Got more ideas? Share 'em in a comment below so some other PW can get her imagination rolling. What's your favorite way to get quality PH time?
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2 comments:
One of the ways we get quality date nights in our busy schedule is to have a date night at home with a rented wii console and just the basic sports decathlon or something similar. We "compete" against each other at ice skating, archery, etc. while snacking on our favorite and rarely indulged in junk foods! We do this maybe 3 times a year and since we don't own a wii or anything similar it's a definite change from the usual for us. It's a cheap date but we have SO much fun and don't have to find a babysitter for all the munchkins.
Our bedroom is our sanctuary; it's pretty and airy. No "work stuff" is allowed to lay around in there, and I try to make sure it stays tidy even when the rest of the house is in chaos. During the day when I need a break from the homeschooling, or my PH and I have an important matter to discuss, or we just need to reconnect, I'll go to his desk and ask if he has a minute. Then we go into our sanctuary and shut the door and just sit on the floor and talk.
During the winter, if it's not too late when he gets home in the evening, we have "tea time" (herbal, of course) on the sofa together.
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