Creative Ideas for a COVID Date Night - by Dr. Norma Perez

It’s hard enough to do Date Night when all is well in the world. Normally, it’s all the kid activities or social and family obligations that get in the way. Now, with so many activities and social gatherings put on hold, why is it so hard to do Date Night? You may think, “well there is nowhere to go”, “I can’t get a babysitter because I don’t know where they have been”, or you have just gotten on each other’s nerves so much that you really don’t feel like being “a couple” at the moment.

STOP!

Take the time now to do a Date Night! Now is the time when it is most important. Take advantage of this lull in commitments and recommit to your spouse. Most of us have some problem-solving skills, so let’s use them now and come up with a way to do Date Night every week. To get you started, here are a few recommendations.

Getting creative with an at home Date Night

If you have kids, put them to bed early or set up a movie for them in one of the bedrooms and tell them they can’t come out unless it is a true emergency. Then have your Date Night!

Have a picnic in your backyard. Light some candles, start a fire, roast some marshmallows. Get out of your head and out of your home-isolation routine and have some fun together. Make sure you take your shoes off and touch the earth, it's healing and therapeutic.

Cook together. Think about what your favorite meal is and make it together. If you’re already getting on each other’s nerves, pick an easy recipe. If things are going well between the two of you, pick a challenging meal. It’s always great to get outside your comfort zone with your partner. That way you can grow together through overcoming and prevailing through a challenging experience.

If you really want to get outside your comfort zone, do a virtual cooking class. Several have popped up with great chefs teaching viewers how to make their famous dishes.

Do a virtual wine tasting. There are many wineries, companies, and stores offering a variety of options. Some have you pick up your wine, others deliver it ahead of time. Pick one that works for you.

What if you have the luxury of a Date Night out?

If you have any family members, either in the home or outside of the home that you are still visiting with, ask them to watch the kids for a couple of hours.

Go have a picnic at the park. Pack your favorite snacks, some music, and a blanket and go be with each other. If you are really adventurous, take a kite to fly. Flying a kite really gets you outside of your head. Again, make sure you take your shoes off and touch the earth, very healing and therapeutic.

Find a restaurant that is practicing safe social distancing and the recommended safety protocols. Make reservations and enjoy the evening together. Many restaurants are re-opening with your safety in mind. Reward them with your patronage.

Get out of town and go for a ride in the country. Fill up the tank with gas, pack some snacks, and take off without a plan in mind. Explore some of the back roads of Texas that you have never traveled. Take notes of where you want to return when more things open back up.

The bottom line is, have a date night every week. If you do the work to nurture your relationship, then you will have a healthy relationship. If you don’t, you won’t. Simple cause and effects logic!

Norma Perez has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and runs a private practice at Mind, Body, Life Connection.

512-365-4278 drperez@mindbodylifeconnection.com www.mindbodylifeconnection.com