Date Night, How Often?

Maybe once a month ~ not enough!
He works swing with different days off than mine. We have 2 little ones at home and we both work full time. It's tough to make the time for the two of us to go out. We only have 2 evening and 2 mornings where we are together with the boys and we really enjoy that time too. It's hard to give that up for a date night.

We go once a month. There are sitters in the neighborhood with which we are comfortable. They do a good job and are inexpensive. We also watch a movie or something after the kids go to bed some days....try to do something like this once a week.

we haven't been on a date in about 2 months...it really sucks. Babysitters are hard to come by :( I miss my husband and I really miss having activities together that don't involve the kids

Ah... we are so sad. It's been over a year. :(

I'm hopefully for a better 2012.

J.

Date night? What's that? :)

Ok, so my husband and I moved from one coast to the other when my son was 4 weeks old. We have had 2 date nights since he was born (one before we left for Georgia and 1 when we went back home to visit family). My son is 10 months old now! Since we have moved, we have not really met many people, and none that I would let watch my son (since we do not know them well). However, our little one is in bed by 7 pm, so we spend a 2-3 hours together before bed, and we use our time to connect with each other. I guess we have been on more than the 2 dates, but our son tags along, so I don't count those!

everyones definition of date night will vary. we count date night as just a dinner out with the two of us. we try to make that happen at least once a week (when my wifes kids go to their dads house).
every couple needs that reconnection time.....

Date night has always been a priority in our 25 yrs.

We went weekly. Now that daughter drives to school and we both run our company from home, we eat lunch out almost daily.

We still do fun things on date nights. We made it a priority. It is very important!!

We NEVER go out. He rather stay at home and send ME out. He gets being a SAHM is tough. He likes his BOYS NIGHT IN with our son.

We are coming up on our 25th anniversary of being together and I have NO idea what to do. I really just want to eat wings and watch football. I'll probably have to pry him off the couch to go out and do that.

We don't do outside date nights very often. We dopn't have family near by and only get a sitter a few times. We talk about going out more but don't. Instead we do a lot of entertaining at home and do stay at home date nights where we watch movies or tv together and make a nicer dinner for ourselves for after the kids go to bed.

Not very often. Maybe 3 times a year if that. Its hard to find babysitters that will last.

We try to go once a week, but it *is* easier when your kids are older (mine are 17 & 14).

We shoot for once a month. Yes, I definitely feel better after a date night. It's like getting a little recharge to the relationship. We've tried to make the rule that we don't talk about DD on date night, but rather about other stuff to reconnect, but we aren't always successful!!

Once a week, sometimes more.

You should make time to spend with each other each week. It could be just time for a walk, sitting together watching a movie after the kids go to bed, a time to talk about goals and wishes, etc....

Scheduling the time and designating it for togetherness is what is important. Going out and spending money can often cause even more stress because finances can be too tight to enjoy the spending. We often spend an hour or two going to thrift stores during the day when the kids are at school. It is something we both enjoy and it doesn't cost nearly as much as eating out or something.

I googled the topic and am posting the link, maybe you can find some free, or inexpensive, ideas.
http://www.google.com/search?gcx=c&sourceid=chrome&am...

twice a month we go out by ourselves, then twice a month we take our girls out & leave our son with a sitter (he is severely disabled so we like to get time with just the girls by themselves sometimes)

Well, I always say if there is anything *good* about being divorced, its not having the kids every other weekend! My hubby and I both have ex's that take the kids every other weekend on the same schedule so that means every other weekend we have NO KIDS!!! Whoo hoo! So we are kid free from Fri morning until Sun at 6pm. I love and miss my kids but am so thankful to get a break and have time with just me and hubby! Its important to have time to yourselves, I hope you find something that will work out for you guys. =)

If we could afford to, we'd do it every week. Afford to, in terms of time and money. With my husband studying nights and weekends it is very hard for him to get away. And he makes sure he sees the kids so it's tough. We have a date night out every couple of months or so but not scheduled. Just when it works out with babysitting from my parents etc.

Maybe once per year......Our 10yr anniversary is in Oct and we were just talking abou this. We both feel like we "should" want to do something, but we don't. We hate wasting money going out for crappy dinner (we are both pretty good cooks ;). There is no show we want to see or anything. Our current idea is to get BIL to watch the kids during the day while we go shopping for some things we need for the house and maybe grab lunch. Practical and boring I know, but we are so content with that!!!
And we like to splurge on crab legs and scallops and cook them ourselves!!

Date night, once a week if you can afford a sitter. You are better parents when you are a better couple. There are great sitters out there. You can do something free if you can't afford a fancy night on the town. Free concerts, free walks, almost free movies, coffee shops, the little things. You need time apart from your children to stay strong as a couple. I have to disagree about sitters being hard to come by, as I am one and know many more. Ask friends for their sitter's number. Screen your sitter, interview, check references, whatever it takes to be sure your children are safe, but also when you do find a good sitter, treat her well and she'll be there for you.

Don't wait until going out is for fighting. Make time together away from the children a priority. A stronger, better couple makes for a stronger, better family and is best for your children. If you want to make it happen, you can. Trade off with a friend, if you don't have family around and can't afford a sitter. Just make the time to go out alone a weekly habit, an obligation to your children's future welfare.

Probably we average about once or twice a month but sometimes we go out on Saturday night with friends and Sunday night alone for a dinner and movie. Friday nights are reserved for our family. We've been going out to dinner every Friday night for the last year. My girls are 8 and 13 and we just have a great time together. My husband and I also have separate groups of friends so I have lots of GNO and he goes out with his friends fairly frequently too. I feel I have a really nice life and am really enjoying my kids at their current ages. I take it your kids are still fairly young?.?. If so just know they will grow up in the blink of an eye. In the mean time I recommend more sex;)

Date night? What's that?
I'm jealous. My husband just doesn't get date night. He works so much that he wants to spend time with all of us.

My husband and i don't go on date nights. We try to find family activities (Museums, Zoos, Camping and such) and get alone time during them, or about every two or three months all my children will go to my sisters for a saturday night and we will have a night in.

I am like Katie - my hubby and I are so busy with work, school, kids, etc that we cherish our time at home to watch TV when the kids are in bed or play a game of cards. We have to take advantage of times that way or we don't get much at all. We'd love to get out more, but it's so expensive to get a sitter and go out...

I think date night is a pretty foreign concept for me. Honestly my husband and I get out once or twice a year, often because we have weddings or other events to go to. We are coming up on our 10 year anniversary in 2012 and our goal is to actually go on a date! We typically don't even celebrate anniversaries. Before kids at least one of us had school on our anniversary, and since kids we either can't afford a babysitter or someone is working or we have an event with kids. With that said, I do think time as a couple is very important and my husband and I are definitely in need for some time away!

Ideally, I would want to do a date night every week or two weeks. But realistically that doesn't happen. We went on a date a couple weeks ago - actually left the house and went on a date. Before that...it was probably a couple years. But we have a unique situation. Our oldest is immune compromised, and we can't have babysitters. We can't risk her health. Unless someone comes over who has purposefully prepared themselves (avoiding people/germs for a couple days prior), we don't get to leave.

So, we've come up with date night once a week at home when the kids are in bed. We do something fun together. We try to do evenings together more than just once a week, but at LEAST once a week we will go to a movie...in the living room. Or we'll play games, etc.

You don't always have to leave the house to have a date if it doesn't work out. Spending time together is incredibly important, though! Good luck.