Date Night for Parents: A Survival Guide

Date night. That mystical, long-forgotten concept where parents attempt to rekindle romance without falling asleep in their pasta. If you and your partner are brave enough to leave the house after 7 pm, congratulations! You’re either wildly optimistic or running on an unsustainable mix of caffeine and blind determination. Either way, let’s get through this rare and precious event together.

Step 1– Secure a Babysitter 

First things first—who’s watching the kids? Grandparents? Fabulous. Trustworthy older niece or nephew? Perfect. If all else fails, get creative: offer a friend unlimited snacks and the promise of undying gratitude. If your babysitter texts you 30 minutes in with "Is it normal for them to cry for this long?" ignore it. You’re already out, and turning back now would show weakness.

Step 2 – Decide on an Activity

Your options include:

• Dinner at a fancy restaurant – Where you’ll inevitably spend the first 20 minutes discussing your kids, then panic-order a cocktail you can’t pronounce because you haven’t been out in two years.

• The movies – A solid choice unless one of you falls asleep, or the film is an emotional rollercoaster that leaves you questioning life choices. Opt for a comedy to stay on the safe side.

• Mini golf or bowling – Competitive but fun. However, if one of you has the old white-line fever, maybe skip this.

• Something spontaneous – Hilarious. You’ve got a babysitter for exactly three hours. There's no room for spontaneity here. Stick to the plan.

Step 3 – Get Ready at Warp Speed

Once upon a time, you leisurely picked out outfits, did your hair, and maybe even accessorised. Now? You’ve got 15 minutes, tops. One of you will stand in the doorway yelling, “Just wear the blue one, we’re running late!” while the other applies mascara in the reflection of the toaster. Romance.

Step 4 - Embrace the Car Ride

This is your moment. Seize this time to talk about non-kid things. Politics, conspiracy theories, why people go on reality shows – anything. But beware of date-night pitfalls, such as:

• Checking in on the kids too soon. Give it at least 45 minutes before texting, “All good?”

• Discussing house admin. No one wants to debate energy bills while drinking a margarita.

• Falling into the ‘What’s the time?’ trap. If you check your phone and say, “Wow, it’s already 9:30,” congratulations, you’ve prematurely ended your night.

Step 5 – Actually Enjoy Yourselves

This is it. Your sacred, child-free time. Laugh, eat … have a dance. Maybe even hold hands like you’re in a rom-com and not just two exhausted people wondering if the babysitter will ever come back again.

Step 6 – Accept The Crash

No matter how much fun you have, there’s an unspoken rule: once you're home, the magic disappears. One of you will be checking the baby monitor, the other will be in pyjamas before you’ve fully closed the door. 

And that’s okay—because you did it. You survived date night. Well done!

And maybe, just maybe, you’ll do it again before the kids move out.