25 Simple Ways to Date Your Spouse This Year
One of the greatest gifts of living a slower-intentional life is more love. I have found that the more I let go of, the more love I have to give myself, my relationships, and my interests. Creating space in our life for more meaningful connections has allowed me to be more intentional with how I spend my time.
For years, my husband and I often neglected our relationship. With young kids, it was easy to put things on the back burner, and months would go by without us doing anything alone together. The biggest reason we didn’t go on dates was because we were exhausted or we just didn’t prioritize making it happen. It was easy to opt for my cozy pajamas on a Friday night over getting dressed and going out or avoiding making arrangements for a sitter and staying home. I realized I wasn’t alone.
Harry Benson from the Marriage Foundation and Steve McKay from the University of Lincoln studied a group of almost 10,000 couples and found that 36% of couples reported dating hardly ever and 23% dated less often than once a month. The groups were monitored over the next ten years, and the researchers found the couples who had date nights once a month had the highest odds of staying together compared with the other groups. For the sake of our marriage, looks like we should start dating more!
This year, we have challenged ourselves to prioritize a date once a month. We have also planned a weekend away later this year. So it got me thinking about what simple things we could plan to do together that would not be complicated, expensive, or difficult.
How to put greater importance on dating your spouse?
Keep it Simple
To ensure dates happen, keep it simple. We have decided on the last Saturday of the month to keep it simple and consistent. We will also choose to switch between at-home dates and going out. And have a backup plan or day just in case.
Respect Your Season
Another way to prioritize date nights, so they actually happen is to do what works for your current stage of life. Get creative! With a nursing baby and young kids, it can be challenging to leave home. We make dinner date nights in super easy by getting the kids a special treat and sending them downstairs to watch a movie while we cook a special dinner together upstairs. Our oldest is now old enough to babysit, so we will also try this year going out for short dates during the day, eliminating the stress of a fussy baby at night. If money is tight for you, choose to stay in, go for appetizers instead of dinner, or find a free local event to attend. Short on time? Sneak in an early morning coffee and visit.
Take Initiative
Avoid asking the question, “what do you want to do?” If you want a date to happen, don’t wait on the other person. Show a little extra love, and initiate it! The extra thought will be appreciated even more, and who knows, maybe he or she will reciprocate in the future!
25 Simple Ways to Date Your Spouse
Go for a walk
Make dinner together
Play a board game
Learn a new card game
Watch a movie
Give each other a foot massage
Have a paint night, and watch a how-to on Youtube
Explore a new hiking trail
Go grocery shopping together without kids
Visit one of your favorite dating spots from before you were married. For us, it was mini golf and the local zoo.
Go for ice cream
Take a tour at a local attraction
Visit a museum
Cross-country skiing
Ice Fishing
Afternoon wine or beer sampling
Go out for dinner
Order from your favorite restaurant.
Attend a local festival
Wander a local farmer’s market
Have a picnic in park
Do a workout or yoga
Watch the sunrise
Stargaze
Have a bonfire and roast marshmallows.
Prioritizing time with your spouse is so important; keep it simple and don’t overcomplicate it. I hope you can find some inspiration to try some simple ways to date your spouse this year. Tell me below what plans you have to date your spouse this year and what you like to do.