For parents, escaping the house for a romantic evening can be a daunting task. Between worries about getting the little one to sleep and finding a babysitter who won’t turn into a complete disaster, it’s enough to make you rethink the whole outing. And honestly, who really wants to bother with the hassle of getting dressed up?
I firmly believe in dedicating time each week for my partner and me to enjoy a date night. Some of our most cherished memories together have been made on cozy evenings with a good series, takeout, and a bottle of reasonably priced wine—modern parenting redefines “Netflix and chill.” For those looking to create a memorable night in, I’ve crafted a comprehensive list of steps to help you navigate the evening.
- Ensure your child has had their necessary naps throughout the day to set the stage.
- Prepare a bucket of ice for your drinks to avoid a last-minute scramble later.
- Aim to get the baby settled into bed on time.
- If cooking:
- Try to minimize noise from pots and pans.
- Beat the oven timer to prevent the annoying beeping.
- If ordering takeout:
- Option 1: Have your partner place the order while you handle bedtime.
- Option 2: Order as soon as the baby is down, and keep the dog quiet with a treat to avoid waking the little one.
- Your food has arrived! Devour it quickly; children have a knack for sensing when you’re trying to enjoy a warm meal.
- It’s time to select a movie.
- Spend about 45 minutes browsing Netflix.
- Dedicate another 15 minutes reviewing your personal movie collection.
- Decide to return to that trending flick you saw earlier.
- Oh no! The baby has awoken! Play a quick round of rock, paper, scissors to see who will handle it.
- After a couple of lullabies and some gentle rocking, the baby is back to sleep.
- Lay the baby down carefully.
- Stealthily exit the nursery.
- Notice how creaky your floor is.
- Realize your ankles crack too much and make a mental note to consult a doctor about that.
- Settle down to watch the movie.
- Suddenly, you crave popcorn—debate whether it’s worth the risk of waking the baby.
- Live dangerously and pop the popcorn anyway.
- Pour yourselves generous glasses of wine.
- Sit down and prepare for the movie.
- The dog is now growling at you for some popcorn.
- The baby stirs on the monitor.
- Compromise by sharing some popcorn with the dog while you prepare to enjoy the film.
- Completely forget about the loud action sequences in the movie.
- The baby is awake again!
- Pause the film.
- Quick game of rock, paper, scissors to determine who will resettle the baby.
- Wait, the baby has put themselves back to sleep!
- Since the movie is paused, take a bathroom break.
- Oh dear, that creaky floor strikes again.
- The baby is awake! (For real this time.) One lullaby followed by 10 minutes of gentle rocking.
- Repeat steps 13 to 16.
- Resume your movie.
- Contemplate whether to stay up and chat or just go to bed.
- Admire your peacefully sleeping baby on the monitor. You created that little miracle, which is quite amazing.
- Opt to stay up a little longer and pour another glass of wine. After all, the baby will wake up again in a bit anyway.
And there you have it—a whimsical 34-step guide to a delightful date night at home with your partner!
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Summary: Creating a memorable date night at home as parents can be challenging but is entirely achievable with a little planning and humor. This guide provides a light-hearted yet practical roadmap to enjoying quality time with your partner, complete with tips on managing distractions and embracing the chaos of parenthood.