Bringing Back Date Night

February 2, 2016 Health No comments

Add more sparks to your relationship!

STORY BY: LESLIE RESCHLY, BSN, RN

In my dreams about romance and love, I used to visualize special Valentine’s Day dinners with the love of my life complete with champagne and roses. I have a vivid recollection of one such Valentine’s Day probably in the mid- 1990’s—held captive by the whims of a 15 year old babysitter in love for the first time, we found ourselves without childcare on the most important of love nights. Determined to make the most of our weekend, we decided to take all three children to a restaurant for lunch. I know we did not talk and I have no idea what we ate. We spent the meal in the bathroom and cleaning up spills! But I do know that from then on we initiated Date Night.

Couples at every stage of their relationship are over-booked, over-tired, and over-worked. The last thing we need is to add another thing to our calendars, right? Wrong! Date Night offers a quick trip back to that period of courtship where dreams of romance and love were not obscured by the fact that the bed never got made nor the dishes put in the sink. Date Night offers the opportunity to connect and focus on each other. It is different then just going out for the night. It is set with intent to provide a time for communication and nurturing of your relationship, one on one, with something new and fun or tried and true. So turn off your electronic devices and focus on the love of your life.

FOR FOODIE COUPLES:

• Date night can be Brunch!
• Cook a meal from scratch! Shopping for all the ingredients to make sushi can be an adventure in itself
• Go out for coffee and conversation

FOR CULTURE COUPLES:

• Attend a paint or craft class
• Attend UNCW/BCC/CFCC for new learning experience
• Be a tourist in our town. When was the last time you visited the Maritime Museum?

FOR COUPLES THAT ENJOY GOOD SPIRITS:

• Head to a Brewery to sample their fare

• Visit one of our wine shops for a wine tasting and then take your favorite bottle home

FOR ADVENTUROUS COUPLES:

• Head to a park for a hike or a picnic

•Workout together—attend yoga, CrossFit or TRX training

•Schedule game night with snacks-backgammon, chess or strip poker?

FOR HOPELESS ROMANTIC COUPLES:

• Stargaze in the cold, crisp night air

• Enjoy that fireplace or outside bonfire with s’mores
• Hit the beach in the morning or at sundown

Ok, so this is just a start. What ever you do, remember that it is not about what you are doing but whom you are doing it with!