Dinner and a movie are perfectly lovely, but these couples have found creative ways to reconnect.
"My wife and I met at a swing dance class, so when we get the chance, we’ll take a trip down memory lane and go dancing. The kids wear us out, so if we attempted a nice, quiet dinner, we’d probably fall asleep after the first glass of wine!"
—Christopher Marraro, dad of two, Great Falls, Virginia
"My husband and I both enjoy baseball, and sometimes we make a night of it and catch a game. It’s a thrill, and it's great being surrounded by a lot of other people—you feel like you’ve rejoined civilization!"
—Ellen Deebel, mom of two, of Coopersburg, Pennsylvania
"Our laptop computer is stuffed with photos that we’ve done absolutely nothing with. One day I asked my mother to babysit for a few hours, while my husband and I went to a nice little coffee shop a few towns away. We found a comfy couch in the corner, ordered hot chocolate, and turned on our laptop. We were able to use the shop’s free wi-fi to access a photo-sharing site where you can upload pics and create a personalized photo album. It was so much fun spending time together as a couple and reliving cherished memories. Plus, we ordered a second photo album as a thank-you to my mom for baby-sitting. She absolutely loves it!"
—Elizabeth White, mom of two, Bend, Oregon
"My husband and I love to read, so one of our favorite things to do is to go to a used bookstore, browse, and stock up. It’s a great way to combine a hobby with together-time."
—Gabrielle Ginder, mom of four, Bloomington, Indiana
"We’re all about the stay-cation! If the grandparents want time with the baby and my husband and I are feeling organized, we’ll scope out good deals online and get a nice hotel room for the evening. We’re close by, but it feels like a world away!"
—Maya Missaghi, mom of one, Minneapolis, Minnesota
"My wife works from home and watches our son, and sometimes she gets cabin fever. So we do day dates when the weather’s nice—we’ll get a babysitter and go on a picnic. We get a beautiful change of scenery, some fresh air, and a chance to kind of feel like kids again ourselves."
—Glenn Schaffner, dad of one, Hastings on Hudson, New York