Simple Ways & Reasons to Enjoy Your Spouse Minus the Children

One of the most anticipated moments in the life of any couple is that glorious day when the long-awaited first child is born. In fact, it is so much fun that soon there’s another child on the way, and maybe another after that. However, a few years down the road, what mum and dad wouldn’t do for just a few moments alone together without one child taking another’s toy or food wars at the kitchen table. If you are dreaming of a day or two away from it all with just your spouse, take heart. It isn’t really as complicated as you might expect. It might take a little planning, but once you’ve come up with a plan, it’s worth every moment of your efforts.

First, A Word of Advice

If you have any doubts as to just how important it is to take time off from parenting to spend time with your spouse, you might want to look at some statistics. One study from across the pond and reported on the American Psychological Association’s website indicated that within an eight-year period of marriage, couples with children found their relationship deteriorating rapidly after the birth of a child whilst those without children experienced a much slower deterioration.

The point is, the romance seems to wear off in the majority of marriages, but it comes at a much higher and faster rate amongst those who have children. Don’t let your marriage suffer needlessly when all it might take to keep the flame alive is some time alone without the kids hanging about. Here are some simple ways to get that time alone.

Extended Weekends Away from Home

Unfortunately, if you stay too close to home either mum or dad is going to have the urge to check in on the kiddies from time to time. This is why you should plan for an extended weekend away from home, far enough not to be distracted but close enough to return should the need arise. As an example, couples living in the Birmingham area could hop on a flight to Lyon in the south of France and enjoy romance only as the French can manage. Paris may be the City of Love, but an equally short flight across the channel to Lyon is the perfect backdrop for romantic interludes only seen in the movies. Not only will you be able to enjoy each other’s company in a much smaller but no less romantic atmosphere than Paris, but you can do so almost effort free.

Why not plan for valet parking at Birmingham Parking? Book your service once your flight dates are arranged and then all you need to do is hop in the car, bags packed, and leave the rest to the valet once you drive up to the airport. Birmingham Airport parking needn’t take up one moment of your time together when there’s a lovely solution like valet parking! You’ve packed the kids off to grandma and grandpa for the weekend and if an emergency arises you are only an hour’s ride home by air. Enjoy the romance of Lyon, France for a long (but oh-so-short!) three or four-day weekend and keep the romance alive in this colorful yet romantic city that rivals even heavily populated Paris.

Take up a New Hobby or Activity Together

There are so many ways a couple can find ways to get away for an afternoon, but perhaps one of the easiest and most exciting ways is to find a new hobby or activity you can share. For example, maybe you’ve always wanted to go exploring the museums without the little ones distracting you at every turn. Or perhaps you would like to try your swing at the local golf course. There are a number of activities you can enjoy together as a couple which can strengthen the bond which may be deteriorating. Sharing new adventures can lead to enhanced moments of conversation around the dinner table and bring you closer together.

The easiest way to find time alone to explore new activities is while the kids are in school or off to visit a friend or relative. Most workers in the UK have personal days saved up and this would be a perfect time to take one of those days. Who says romance needs to be kindled in the evenings? Why not take a day off while the kids are in school so that you aren’t worried about what’s happening with the babysitter and can thus focus all your attention on your spouse for life? Speaking of life, it can get pretty boring if you do the same things day after day, so exploring new adventures together may be just what the doctor ordered. Why succumb to monotony when there’s excitement just around the corner?

Take Turns Minding the Children of Friends

One of the most common reasons why so many couples don’t get away together is because of the sheer cost of babysitters. If you are experiencing a meltdown within your relationship, surely some of your friends are as well. While you may only have one or two couples close enough to trust with your children or with whom you’d be comfortable leaving them, it pays to ask them to trade sitting days.

Sometimes you can send the kids off to a friend’s house for the evening and other times they might stay the night or weekend while you enjoy the privacy with your spouse. By trading days minding each other’s children you can get away, or at the very least, spend quality time with your spouse that you just don’t get with the little ones underfoot.

Date Nights Are a Must

Once you’ve found a safe haven for your children so that you can spend time together, it really pays to plan a weekly date night with your partner. Not only will you be keeping the flame burning brightly but you will be teaching your children some invaluable lessons about family life. Every family spends time together on outings but how many really make it a point of expressing just how much fun it is to spend time with their mate? Not only will children learn to respect your need for privacy, but they will be experiencing ways in which loving couples prioritize their time alone.

Everyone Benefits from Your Time Together as a Couple

So many couples today spend their time at work and then at home taking care of family matters that there is little time left to literally sit back and smell the roses. (Roses are a nice touch, dads, so keep that in mind for date nights!) Then there are those times when the children are at their homework or playing video games whilst mum and dad sit at their mobile phones on social sites, totally forgetting there is someone right in front of them they could be chatting with.

Just remember that you have needs as well. You spend your days and nights taking care of your family and it could be weeks between times when you actually do something nice for yourself and/or your spouse. If you have found that something is lacking in your relationship, it could very well be that time you used to spend together madly in love. Why not turn back the clock to find time to spend with the one you love, your spouse, the one you intend to spend the rest of your life with, and you will find a new appreciation for each other while the kids learn what a happily-ever-after is really all about?

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