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Date Night/Afternoon: Couples Reconnect

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Kids are back in school, and for some parents that means long hours away from little ones. It also means…long hours away from little ones! While they make new friends and learn fascinating new things about their world, take advantage of the free time to reconnect with your partner and try out new and fascinating things in your world, too. Playing hooky for an afternoon date just makes it all the more exciting—and saves bucks on the babysitter while keeping kids’ evening schedules intact. 

  

Experts say strong relationships depend on partners’ finding time regularly to connect, share dreams, be intimate and have fun as a twosome. Yet the eagerly anticipated dates of a new romance become fewer and farther between as a relationship endures. A recent survey by Glamour magazine found that only 12 percent of women in long-term relationships have regular dates with their significant other. 

  

It turns out that doing new things together can spark the attraction you felt in the early stages of the relationship. In “The Date Night Opportunity,” a publication of the National Marriage Project, sociologist Brad Wilcox says, “Couples who engage in novel activities that are fun, active or otherwise arousing—from hiking to dancing to travel to card games—enjoy higher levels of relationship quality.” 

  

So do your relationship a solid. Use some of that flex time and schedule a date—and get out of the dinner-and-a-movie rut! Here are some ideas to rev up your couple time. 

  

Get into the race. Whether you’re a spectator or a racer, there’s a course to suit your fancy. The thunder of hooves will get your heart pounding during an afternoon at the horse races. Place a couple of $2 bets to increase the excitement. Most tracks provide info on how to wager. 

  

Have a meeting of the minds. Attend a talk by a favorite writer or visit a natural history exhibit. Science museums often sponsor adult-oriented events, and many pubs hold regular trivia contests. Taking a class in art or literature as a couple can provide new fodder for discussion. Or develop a new skill you can practice together, such as ballroom dancing or archery. Community colleges and recreation centers have low-cost offerings for adults—everything from basketry to rock climbing to woodworking. 

  

Hunt for treasure. Whose heart doesn’t quicken at the prospect of unearthing a hidden prize? Geocaching is a way to let your inner explorer shine, and some caches are specifically designated “romantic.” Get started with a GPS-enabled phone (or other personal GPS device). Online geocaching sites provide info for beginners, as well as descriptions and GPS coordinates for “treasure” caches. Try Opencaching.com or Geocaching.com. 

  

Focus on friendly competition. Some all-in-good-fun rivalry can be a great diversion from the daily grind. Sweat it out on the racquetball court. Shoot a mean game of pool at the local pub. Or pick your tiles for an afternoon-long Scrabble death match. Just choose something you won’t take too seriously. Need something to strive for? Let the winner choose a lunch venue. Whether barbecue or bistro, it’ll taste like a blue ribbon meal. 

  

Cook up your creativity. Novel food can be an adventure unto itself. Try an unfamiliar cuisine. Gather ingredients together and cook in, tasting each other’s delectable creations as you go along. You may find some powerful aphrodisiacs. 

  

Be a good sport. Catch an afternoon game and cheer your favorite pro team to victory. A sunny afternoon, cold beer and hot dog might add up to a great deal more fun and memories than a stuffy (and pricy) dinner out on the town. 

  

20 Afternoon Dates with Pizazz 

  

Ashley Talmadge is a freelance writer and mother of two boys. She enjoys writing about the many facets of parenthood, and her articles have appeared in dozens of parenting publications across the United States and Canada.

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