Date Night, Please

4

Any mom out there can tell you that she’s tired. Not just yesterday, but pretty much every single day. Ask her how many carrots her toddler threw on the floor, how many times her newborn woke up last night or how many cups of coffee she’s had, and she can tell you without missing a beat. Ask her when her last date night was and she might need to get back to you! Moms for lots of reasons don’t have dates as much as they should. We aren’t just talking about the order pizza and lay on the sofa date night you had last Friday night, but the kind where you actually blow-dry your hair and put on some heels. No idea where to start? Let’s get going.

Fatigue

Find a babysitter:  You can do this easily by stalking the moms in your new mom circle. It’s tough, but people eventually share their good babysitters if you bribe them with coffee. Once you get said babysitter’s number, setup a meeting date. Meet her in a public place and go ahead, judge her on her appearance. It’s okay, she won’t mind. She knows that you’re completely insane from lack of sleep. She knows that you are completely overprotective and unwilling to leave your precious bundle with a stranger (you’ve heard stories on the internet). She knows that you will Google her full name and Facebook stalk her. Was she out with a BOY? She’s only 25! Yes, you must check her references and trust your gut, but if everything checks out, invite her over to meet the baby.

Setup a meet and greet: Have the babysitter meet the baby. We know you will only have her come over after the baby is sound asleep, but they need to meet. You want to see her interaction with your child. You will watch every single move she makes. Does she respond to your baby’s needs? Does she know how to soothe your baby? Does she seem like she enjoys children. If you answered no to any of these questions, politely cut the meeting short and revert back to step one. Also, never speak to the woman in your mom circle again, what was she thinking sending you this lunatic?  If she seems to bond well with your baby, you might just be ready for the next step.

By: Daniel Lobo

Set a date: Talk to hubby, check the calendar, and book a date with the babysitter. Yes, you will have to leave the house on this night. Mentally prepare yourself for this weeks in advance. Make a list of all the numbers the babysitter will need: your cell, hubby’s cell, neighbor’s cell, doctor’s emergency number, FBI, CIA, etc. Find the closest restaurant within a one mile radius of your home and make a reservation. Note to self: 5 Guys doesn’t take reservations. No, it’s not the same if you pretend that your patio is the new outdoor section at your favorite restaurant.

Prepare for your date: Plan a day of fun with your baby so the fear bubbling under the surface isn’t palpable. No, the baby isn’t running a fever. No, you didn’t see anything on the news about some strange new epidemic sweeping the nation and you think you have the symptoms. No, your husband hasn’t come down with explosive diarrhea. You are going to have a date. Follow the normal bedtime routine and place your little bundle of joy in the crib for the night. Take a nice long shower while hubby watches the monitor. Put on something nice. Fix your hair.  Dig out those sexy shoes from the back of the closet. Watch your husband’s face light up.

Leave the house: Once the babysitter has arrived and you have spent 30 minutes debriefing her about the fire extinguisher, flotation devices, and earthquake procedures, leave the house. That’s right, leave the house and go have fun!  Order a glass of wine and talk about something other than the baby. Smile. Enjoy yourself. Yes, we know your iPhone is out on the table, but you only need to check it every 15 minutes. Yes, the baby is still sleeping.

Upon returning home, (it’s okay that you only went out for an hour and sat outside your own home stalking the sitter for 45 minutes) smile and say what a great time you had. Thank her for coming and give her a nice tip. You will be needing her again soon. Not that soon, we don’t want to pressure you. It’s also okay to admit that you had some fun and want to do it again sometime. Don’t let too many days go by before you schedule the next date. We don’t want you to chicken out again.

How often do you get to go on a date night? Comment below with any tips you can share for scheduling your next date night.

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