It’s no secret that keeping a regular date night is an important part of staying connected while raising a family. In spite of this, it’s fairly rare that parents will actually give themselves this all-important time off to maintain their relationship. Date nights are essential for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is ensuring that you can keep a little sanity and identity as a couple while raising your kids. It also provides an opportunity to maintain a level of intimacy, both physical and interpersonal, that have children to care for can often impair. These aren’t the only reasons that maintaining a date night is essential, however.
The Little Known Pros of Having a Regular Date Night
Our relationship existed before our children were a part of our lives, and while many parts of it may have changed, that core relationship remains. Just like any relationship, it needs care and attention to thrive and remain healthy, and date night is a perfect opportunity to provide time for that. Studies were performed involving families with children, and the following tips are extrapolated from the results.
- Everyone Is Happier – When you take a little time each week to reconnect with your spouse, you both will know your time together is important. Both the invitation to date night and its acceptance are indicators that you’re both prioritizing your personal relationship as important. The study showed a 400% increase in happiness in relationships that made a point of this time.
- It Makes Your Relationship Stronger – Partners who don’t spend time together on a regular basis are more likely to succumb to life’s stresses, and their relationship is often the cost. Marriages that didn’t incorporate regular date nights showed nearly quadruple the rate of divorce as those that did.
- Women Show Even Higher Satisfaction – The study in question focused on heterosexual couples, though this data could likely be extrapolated to other relationship structures as well. Women, in particular, showed greater satisfaction in their relationships when time was spent each week together.
- Sex Lives Improve – There’s little surprise that taking some time away from the kids each week will result in a marked improvement in your sex life. After all, if you never get away from the kids, what time is there for physical intimacy? As an added bonus, those who spend time together in this way report greater physical attraction to their partner.
These are just the most outstanding points. The results of the study showed a correlation with improvement in a surprising number of related elements. The least expected? There was a notably higher reporting of positive childhood experiences in children whose parents maintained a regular date night.
Remember To Care For Your Relationship With Time
As your relationship grows and matures, and if you have more children, remember that maintaining a special space in your life for your partner is essential. One of the worst mistakes people can make in their relationships is neglecting it for the sake of responsibility. A little time away from your kids isn’t going to hurt them and can have significant positive effects!
