I’m excited to share a wonderful guest post today from the folks at Crated with Love. The post is all about how having a date night at home can be a great way to connect with your partner. And how to make those date nights at home happen!
Not only are there plenty of ways to have a fun date night at home. But there are a lot of benefits of taking the time and making the effort to find ways to connect with your partner and have a date night. Even if you don’t leave the house!
I hope you enjoy this guest post and it gives you some ideas and inspiration to have a fun date night at home to connect with your partner and find the silver lining of your extra time spent at home right now.
5 Incredible Benefits of Date Night at Home & How to Make it Happen!
We all are finding a bit more time on our hands these days as things have been a bit… different, and everyone has been spending quite a bit more time at home.
We are all trying to keep our heads above water in these new seas of change. And there’s a lot to take in, adapt to and think about. Not to mention the stress and uncertainty we’re all facing right now.
For some, it’s a whirlwind of having kids home, making snacks on snacks (how can the kids even eat this much?!), possibly homeschooling and working from home as best you can between conference calls and navigating everything else going on.
Moments, where you used to be able to find quiet time to rest and recharge, have been interrupted by a lot of mental clutter and anxiety.
But today, I want to share with you some quick tips you can use to calm your mind and spirit. And find time and opportunities to enjoy your time at home and connect with your partner.
Here are some of the benefits you can find by implementing a date night at home. And some intentional tips on how to make date nights more achievable for you and your family. Even during this stressful time.
Why Having a Date Night at Home Can be Amazing for Your Relationship
1. You’ll Be Saving Major Money
Date nights at home are oftentimes overlooked, even when life is “normal”. But there are plenty of perks to date nights in and date nights at home are definitely worth trying.
One of the biggest perks of date nights at home is that you save so much money eating in, skipping the movie, and opting for relationship deepening activities instead!
We may not have much of a choice these days. But instead of being down about the fact that your normal Thursday night date night at your favourite restaurant might not happen for a few more weeks (or months), think about how much money you’re saving instead. Money you can put towards your emergency savings account, or that next exciting investment!
And just because you can’t go out to eat, doesn’t mean date nights can’t happen at all!
2. Deeper Reconnection
In these uncertain times, one thing remains constant, your people. And as you spend more time at home, you get to have a lot more time face-to-face with your family.
Not only that, but you may also have a lot of newly found time when you’re spending less time on your commute or taking kids to school and activities.
This opens the door to the opportunity to really engage in good quality time with your family and your partner!
Use this extra time together to connect with each other and deepen your connection in ways you might not always have the opportunity to do when life is busier and you spend less time together.
Set aside intentional time to connect and reconnect with your partner during this time. In fun ways and in more serious ways.
Talk about and share what you’re feeling, your fears and your emotions. You’re likely feeling a lot of different emotions right now. Grieving over cancelled events, fear over the safety of your family, uncertainty about what the future holds. These are all normal emotions to be feeling in this season. And it is important to share your thoughts, worries and feelings with your partner, now more than ever.
There is no right way to cope through this season. Each of us will be sorting through our feelings differently right now. But including your partner in your emotional sorting process can be beneficial to both you and your partner. Be each other’s safe spaces during this time.
3. The Creativity Never Ends
I know there’s not much of a choice other than date nights you can do at home right now, but that doesn’t mean date nights can’t still be a lot of fun!
Focus on the positives. The gas savings and being able to stay in your PJs if you both want. And start thinking outside the box for date ideas!
Date night boxes
Or start thinking inside the box. Did you know there are date night box companies? You can get a date night box delivered right to your door. And the boxes are usually more affordable than many date nights out by the time you pay for dinner, a movie, a babysitter, etc.
The date night boxes contain new and fun activities and games to do together and connect with each other even more. Then you can add the games to your game cabinet to use again and again.
Don’t forget to have fun
Another date idea is to grab a bottle of wine and go through old memory boxes together. Sort through your favourite memories, funniest stories and even organize your old photos into a photo album to flip through and enjoy together or with your family.
Most importantly, remember to keep it fun. Get creative, let loose and maybe even get a bit goofy.
The more creative you can get, the more fun your date nights at home can be. Especially if date nights at home usually turn into a Netflix marathon where one or both of you falls asleep on the couch watching “The Office” again!
Instead of treating all this time at home as a punishment, find ways to make the most of it! Pretend you’re at a fancy couple’s retreat, light some candles and try giving each other a massage. Or spend some time cooking and enjoying your favourite meal together.
Try getting crafty by ordering some art supplies from your local craft store and making something together. Or try a new board game or card game you’ve never played. You can even bring your family in on the fun.
It’s your date night, in your home. You can make it whatever you want!
Don’t let cabin fever take a toll on your marriage or relationship. Stay open and honest with each other. Do things to help you draw closer to your family and partner during this time.
Make a point to prioritize intentional, regular date nights to help your relationship stay strong and grow even stronger.
4. It’s More Private
Every parent knows that the term “privacy” is not what it seems, but date nights at home do offer a sense of privacy that is unparalleled.
Your walls are down, you are both in a safe environment and you can be completely yourselves. Use your date nights at home to draw closer to one another.
Get comfortable and be yourselves. Whether it’s snuggling under a blanket and watching your favourite movie. Or playing a goofy, laugh-until-you-snort game. Neither of those is something you can do at the fancy new restaurant in town. So take advantage of your time at home!
5. You Can’t Beat the Convenience of Date Night at Home
Surprise, you are already at your next date night location! No traffic, no wait time to be seated, no waiting in line, no need to arrange for a babysitter. And you can wear your comfy clothes or get dressed up – either way, it’s up to you.
The convenience of not having to go anywhere or make any outside arrangements is a real plus that makes date nights at home a lot easier and more convenient to plan.
Helpful Tips for the Whole Family
Take Time for Yourself too
Before you can grow your relationship with your family or partner, you have to ensure you’re finding time and ways to take care of yourself too.
Find ways to manage your stress and take care of yourself that you can also do from home. Maybe try yoga, meditation, making yourself a hot cup of tea, focusing on things you are grateful for, snuggling up to watch your favourite show or read a book after the kids go to sleep. Whatever fills your own cup!
One of the benefits of living a minimalist lifestyle is that your home can be your happy place. You have space inside your home for the things you enjoy doing. And have simplified your belongings so you are only surrounded by things you use, love and make you happy. This can help ground you and bring you joy when the chaos of being a new fully stay-at-home family becomes overwhelming.
Once you have found your own emotional footing, then you can help your family do the same. And find ways to connect and reconnect more with each other.
You are a team after all, and it will take patience with yourself and your family to navigate this new season.
Find Engaging Activities for the Whole Family
Now is the time to break out the pillow forts, watch everyone’s favourite movies, teach your kiddos how to bake bread, share stories and maybe even have a kid-friendly yoga session with your little ones.
You can set up an in-home obstacle course, create your own silly dances, and have opportunities to connect, play and share the big emotions you all may be feeling.
The ideas are endless, but the goal is the same. Amidst this wild time, you can look at this as an opportunity to reconnect with your family and partner.
Always Have Something to Look Forward to
While you’re living in a time that can feel uncertain and completely out of the ordinary, finding ways to add a little structure to your days can be really helpful.
Giving your days some structure or a loose rhythm to follow can allow you to feel a little more sense of control. Even when the world feels scary and out of control right now.
Not every day needs to have a full itinerary, but a loose rhythm or structure can help.
And not only that but having a few things to look forward to can really help too. Like a regular Tuesday night date night once the kids are tucked in!
Using Date Nights at Home to Make the Most of Your Time at Home Together
It is so important to remember that the things that matter most in this time are right in front of you. Take this time to make memories with your kids and your partner.
Once the fog starts to clear, and our world starts to find much-needed peace, you can feel good about the efforts you took to build up your relationships and prioritize fun.
At the end of all of this, you probably won’t remember how tidy your house was, or if you kept up with your daily to-do list. But you will remember the memories you and your family made together and the way you all felt.
Take this time as an opportunity to connect with your family and your partner. Make memories with your kids and prioritize date nights with your partner. Your mind and your family will thank you.
