Date Night: Excuses, Excuses

We’ve all heard it, “Its important to have a date night”, regardless of if you are newly dating, in a long term relationship, or married, it is always important for you and your significant other to spend quality time together. And by “quality time” we are not talking about sitting beside one another as you each surf the web, social media feeds or play a game on your selective electronic devices.  So, we know date nights are important (they enhance communication, connection and an overall sense of satisfaction in a relationship), but why are they so difficult?

Here are the common excuses people use for why they “can’t” have a date night:

• It’s too expensive
• There isn’t enough time / We’re too busy
• We’re too tired
• We don’t need date night

These are just a few, I’m sure we could all easily come up with more, but you get the idea. However, I am here to tell you that these are not good enough excuses for skipping date night.

Why?

• You can easily find a cheap alternative
• You can always make time for your significant other
• You both will feel better after spending precious time together
• Every couple needs to value the importance of date night

It’s simple really. All you need is a smartphone and a Pinterest account. Once you create an account and sign in, search for keywords like date night, cheap dates, easy date ideas, etc. You will find so many awesome date night ideas, and they are all right at your fingertips.

If you want to do something that leads to more of a surprise date, try creating a Date Jar. For the Date Jar, you’ll need popsicle sticks, a sharpie, and a jar. On each popsicle stick, write a date idea. It can involve traveling, staying local, being at home, being expensive, being cheap or free, or whatever else you would like to add. With that in mind, I suggest getting popsicle sticks that have multiple colors. This is so you can color code your dates.

For example:

• Red – Very Romantic Date
• Orange – Cheap or Free Date
• Yellow – Date Night at Home
• Green – Expensive Date
• Blue – Date That Requires Traveling
• Purple – Relaxing and Laidback Date

Now that you have color coded them, you can then select that topic color from the jar without seeing which exact date it is. This is especially a great idea for couples who want to have a little adventure and go on a “surprise” date or for couples who can never decide on what to do.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/68820700535492910/

Side note: This makes for a cute, sentimental gift idea for your loved one. You can personalize the jar by decorating it or painting it then give it to them as a gift.

Now, go and start pinning favorable dates on Pinterest and/or create that Date Jar for your next date! Happy Dating!

If you and your significant other are struggling with feeling connected, couples therapy may be a great place to recharge and reconnect, contact us to find out more.