Enjoying Couple Time When the Kids are Around
Friday, May 18th, 2007Most married couples can remember a time when date night meant any night of the week. Being intimate could happen anytime and anywhere. Exhaustion didn’t set in until after a frisky night, and a candlelit bath was a regular occurrence, not a luxury. Those were the days before kids. So how do you maintain not only intimacy but also solitary time with your spouse to discuss issues that don’t involve bugs, boogers, or boo-boos? How do you get away from the sound of little feet, the screaming at the top of their lungs, and their inability to understand what the term privacy means? Frankly, you don’t. However, you can manage to spend some quality time with your spouse even with the kids around. Use some of the ideas below to remind you that you’re not only a parent but also a wife or husband too.
One necessity for some bonding time is to create a kid-free couple zone in your house. This doesn’t have to be the bedroom or a small closet that locks from the inside. A comfy couch, oversized chair, or even a soft rug with lots of snuggly throw pillows can be a couple zone. After creating the zone, you will need to create the rule that when mom and dad are lounging in the couple zone they have a designated amount of time that they cannot be bothered. The kids must entertain themselves quietly or risk being sent to the alternate time-out zone. You can use the couple zone when watching a movie or favorite television show, or just sit and chill for a few minutes after dinner. Whichever way you choose, it is a place where you can reconnect with your spouse without interruptions. At least that is the theory. (more…)
