Before we even noticed, life went and got itself very busy! One minute we’re worrying about our GCSEs, the next we’re married with kids, paying taxes, fixing the car and all with a suspicious pain in the left knee… But having a family doesn’t mean that all romance has to be thrown out altogether. Why not plan some fun date ideas?
Make the effort for a date night at home
Leaving the house is always a daunting prospect. If you can’t get child care or work long hours, it can be downright impossible. So why not bring the charms of dating into your house! My sister and her husband came up with a brilliant idea a few years ago called Formal Fridays. Every week, or as many Fridays as possible, they would commit to doing a “date night”. Pre pandemic and two daughters, this did involve more restaurants or cocktail bars, but they kept it going even during lockdowns.
How did they do it and what even is it? Simple – just dress up. Make the effort to put on your nice suit or fancy frock to transform a simple meal into a romantic date experience. Light up a couple of candles et voila! Who needs Paris when you have your living room? You could crank it up a notch and glam up your garden, maybe with fairy lights or a DIY water feature, and enjoy a quiet dance under the stars…
The smallest things can make a huge difference to how you can turn a regular evening into one to cherish. Taking that time for yourselves, to be a couple, to reconnect and rekindle that spark, is super important – so check out some fun ideas if you’re a busy parent!
Don’t let technology spoil your date night
The most important thing – put away your phone on your date. Yes, we’ve become hopelessly addicted to these things! Maybe it’s your timer for the roast chicken, maybe you promised to call Linda, maybe you got a last-minute email from work – all those maybes can wait. Even if it’s for just half an hour. Put your phones completely away and just be present with one another. Use technology when you’re apart and send love notes by text message to let your partner know you care.
A night at the movies, at home!
A fun way to jazz up a movie night is to create your own retro home cinema of sorts. Set up your own movie or entertainment system at home. You can get great home projectors, or try a mini one that can turn your smartphone into a projector. Point that bad boy at a wall or hang up a sheet (wink wink!), heat up some popcorn and you can feel like you’re at the cinema from the comfort of your house or garden!
So if you don’t have the time or energy or babysitting options to do Oxfordshire dating full-on, that doesn’t mean you can’t still have fun and romantic evenings from the comfort of your own home! It’s all about making memories!
With almost everyone having kids, your friends understand how hard it can be to try and date or do anything special and you know what they say – misery loves company! Why not invite your fellow parents over for a game night (or day, since we all get tired much earlier now) – the little ones will have someone to play with and you’ll have double the eyes to watch over them, meanwhile you can enjoy a bit of Pictionary or charades.
Last Updated on June 26, 2023 by Lucy Clarke
