Casual Chic Attire - Make Date Night Happen! (Fashion Blog Post)

All parents need date nights.

After our first was born, it took my husband and I almost an entire year to learn this lesson -- but better late than never. We now go on a date night once every two months.

Staying home with a new baby for months on straight drove us nuts! Dinner-bath-bed, dinner-bath-bed -- every single night. It didn't help that we lived in a pretty happening part of town, just a few blocks from bars and restaurants. Every time a young couple paraded by, chuckling and holding hands and dressed for a fun night out, we were reminded of lost freedom.

Go out then. What's wrong with you?

Childcare costs a lot of money! Going rate for our previous neighborhood was $12 three years ago, and $15 now. Sounds pricy, but $15 is actually the proposed minimum wage for the city of Seattle. A 3-hour dinner, then, would sum up to $45. Add food and drinks at a decent restaurant, we might as well give up groceries for the next week.

Also, date nights require planning. Because we spent so much time on the baby, neither my husband nor I wanted to give up personal time to coordinate a date.

Apparently, we weren't the only couple who traded romance for laziness: according to journalist Laura Vanderkam (of LauraVanderkam.com), women "got sick of planning it." They got sick of figuring out schedules, interviewing sitters, and eventually gave up.

For me and my husband, though, the main issue was trust. No way did we feel comfortable leaving a brand new baby with some 22-year old.

But you can't go about life trusting no one.

Turns out that if you look in the right places, responsible 22-year olds are easy to find.

Miss K went to a well-known Christian college, worked at our gym, and both looked and behaved wholesomely. Not the type to invite boyfriends over and snort cocaine. Plus, she was the only 22-year old I know who spend Saturday nights with a bio-chemistry text book. She did such a good job, we invited her back several times before she left for medical school.

Friends' recommendations are best. Other resources include local communities like the gym, mom groups, Sunday schools, and small Christian campuses. Help is always available, if you're willing to reach out.

Still, date nights are so expensive!

But therapy costs more! Each session ranges from $100 - 300, according to MarriageHelpAdvisor.com. And most likely, you'll go more than once, and then be recommended date nights anyway.

(Okay, you might not need therapy. Neither did my husband and I, but we sure got dull after months of diaper-changing.)

The importance of date nights lies not in going out and about, but rather in reconnecting within a quiet environment outside of the chaos at home. Sure you can cuddle up after the baby falls asleep, but at home, you're constantly reminded of day-to-day to do's. That's not romantic at all!

Dates nights are so important that, in some countries, they're being promoted by the government. Solveig Horne, Norway's new minister for Children, Equality and Social Inclusion, began advocating date nights after seeing the country's divorce rate hit a staggering 40%. Horne herself endured a failed marriage, and learned from experience that "it is important to find small pockets of time where parents can be lovers."

Alright then. If date nights are important, then how can we cut cost?

Make friends! If you've no family to help, start building friendships with other parents, and swap kids. It's difficult for self-reliant adults with solid personalities and set ways to allow others in -- and it's especially hard to make friends as a couple -- but it's beneficial to try.

Also, date nights needn't be lavish. Instead of concerts, go to matinees; instead of fancy restaurants, go to local diners. It's about being together, not being impressive.

Oh look. You are all dressed up. Must be another date night.

 

Where did you go this time, Girlie Blogger from Seattle?

Happy Hour - another affordable option.

Anymore ideas to keep date nights affordable?

Today's fashion blog post sources:

The Importance of a Date Night Plan for Parents | http://www.hitchedmag.com/article.php?id=1268

How to Make Date Nights Happen When You’re Parents: Kid Swap!! | http://www.happywivesclub.com/date-night-for-parents-kid-swap-101/

Date night: Why doesn’t it happen? | http://lauravanderkam.com/2013/02/date-night-happen/

Norway's mission reposition: state says date nights key to good marriage | http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/29/norway-state-date-nights-marriage-lovers

The Honest Cost of Marriage Counseling | http://www.marriagehelpadvisor.com/2013/04/03/how-much-does-marriage-therapy-cost/