Date night is always a treat, but it does not happen often. Once we hire babysitters (yes, the word is plural because with a large family we usually need more than one!) and once we end up paying them and buying a meal at a decent restaurant for ourselves, we have spent a pretty penny and have to wait quite a while to do it again! Which is fine, we have learned to be creative when it comes to celebrating a special night together when we are unable to get out, without the kids. If you are looking for a stay at home date night idea this Valentine’s Day, here are a few ideas:
Kids Catering Night
We’ve all seen a movie where the kids in a family are the waiters/waitresses serving a nice romantic meal for the parents. Case in point. The Parent Trap. Two twin girls, after switching places, try to get their parents back together with a dinner and performance. Kids love to see their parents together- it gives them a sense of security. If you prepare a meal for you and your spouse and ask the kids to serve it to the pair of you on Valentine’s Day, they would feel honored. Or, you could even go a step further and have them actually prepare AND serve the meal for you, (depending on their age). This could be well worth the mess involved if the clean up factor is what is holding you back from this idea. I personally don’t have a problem with letting my kids loose in the kitchen as long as they stick with simple!
No Mess Required
This is my fancy way of saying; order take out. I might not sound elegant or extravagant with this one but if it means one less dish I have to clean, I’m all in. When we opt for this choice, my husband will wait until I am putting the kids to bed before heading out the door to pick something up. We tried sushi one year, an upscale Chinese restaurant another year and even Applebees. We then find a movie to watch and enjoy.
Breakfast In Bed
Have you noticed I haven’t mentioned chocolate yet? Well, why not bring chocolate to breakfast? Maybe a few chocolate kisses lining the plate, or M&M’s. What a way to wake up! Coffee drinker? Make it a mocha! Not a fan? Treat you and your spouse to a hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. The meal doesn’t have to be fancy, just relaxing. Eggs and toast will work just fine. Send your kids into the other room to play a game or watch a movie and enjoy the morning, together. If you or your spouse has to work on Valentine’s Day, postpone it until the weekend or a day where you can afford to have a lazy morning!
Craft or Game Night
My husband was picking on me because as I was writing this, everything had to do with food. I guess that is my weakness! So let me now offer a non-food based alternative. At our house we have the setup to do pottery, lampworking and other hands-on activities- but not everyone has access to do these types of crafts. If you both are into a certain type of craft, why not enjoy each other’s company while creating something together. Couples do this all the time for date nights near big cities, so why not try something similar at home? Not into knitting, pottery or jewelry making? Have a game night instead. Turn off the devices, dust off those old board games and bring it on!
