Dating While Married | Expectations vs Reality

I believe that when we are young, we make up these unrealistic ideas of marriage. One of them is dating! We are set up by love movies and Disney for failure. We believe that we are going to have big romantic gestures and getaways, and that it will always be easy. And maybe you had that B.C. (before children) but the reality is, it’s hard! Sometimes busy schedules and not having childcare can put a wrench in things. But it’s so important to date your spouse. It opens up communication and helps to reconnect with each other. It helps relieve the stresses of everyday and reminds you why you like him. Because let’s face it, it’s not always easy to remember. Here are some easy tips on making dating part of your marriage reality.

1. Family members!

Some are lucky to live close to their family, even better if it’s helpful grandparents. Reach out to them and explain the importance of having date nights. Ask if they wouldn’t mind having a date night and how often. Check with them if bedtimes and be respectful of that. If it’s not grandparents, maybe you have siblings or cousins, even aunts!

2. Create a trade community!

Sometime, family is just not a feasible option. Find a friend that you can trust and ask to set up a trade of childcare. Maybe you can find a group of moms and all help each other out. So one week, you can watch their children and the next they watch yours. I know it can feel intimidating to ask for help, but you never know, they may be in just as dire need of a date night also.

3. Be creative!

None of those work? That’s okay! Put those kiddos to bed and have an in-home date night. Maybe y’all could pick out a new movie or a new board game. You could even take a day trip to the farmer’s market and pick out some goodies to make a new recipe. Are your little ones in school? Then make it a point to have lunch together. There are so many local places in Waco that are only open for lunch, and they have yummy food! The possibilities are endless, so be creative!

Just last month my husband and I celebrated our 10th year anniversary and we made it a point to date every week of August. It was much needed and so fun. There are so many new places to try around Waco! I’ll post some of our dates below!