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Staying Home on Valentine’s Day Can Be Fun Too
Author: Melissa Maypole
Once you have kids, Valentine’s Day can sometimes either lose its meaning or take on an entirely different one altogether. Many parents find themselves so caught up in their harried day-to-day schedules of work, picking up kids, throwing supper together, getting baths done, and crashing when the day is finally over that sadly, Valentine’s day becomes little more than just another day to cross off on the calendar.
Other parents throw themselves into the kids’ version of Valentine’s Day, trading champagne and roses for Sweethearts, elaborately constructed Valentine’s boxes for school, and pink cupcakes with heart-shaped sprinkles. Romantic? Not hardly.
Fortunately, you don’t have to go out of town or even leave your house to enjoy a Valentine’s Day with your spouse that is deliciously reminiscent of your pre-kid days. Here are some tips for making your stay-at-home Valentine’s celebration a memorable one:
- Get a Sitter. As you’ve probably already learned, there’s nothing more guaranteed to spoil the magic of a romantic moment than a crying or whining child. If you’re planning a nice Valentine’s evening at home, do yourself a favor and find a friend, family member, or trusted babysitter who is willing to keep the kids for the night.
- Dress It Up. One of the obvious drawbacks of spending Valentine’s Day at home is the familiarity of the atmosphere. If you don’t put any effort into preparing yourself or your home for the big day, then there’s a good chance it will feel like just another night at home. To make your celebration special, dress things up a bit. This includes putting on some nice clothes and a spritz of perfume and making some changes to the environment as well. Get out the good china, throw some red fabric over the lampshades for some quick romantic lighting, and make sure everything is tidy so that there are no distractions.
- Dance. There’s nothing more fun and romantic than dancing with your significant other in your own living room. No, you won’t have a live band, but you will have the freedom to be as silly or as sensual as you want to be. Move the furniture back, put on some romantic music, and lose yourself in the moment.
As you plan your romantic evening, the most important thing to remember is to focus on your spouse. Resist the urge to talk about the children and instead, revisit some of the things that drew you together in the first place. If you begin to feel a tinge of guilt for dropping your little one(s) off just so you can have some fun, don’t. Everyone needs a break every now and then, and what better excuse to take one than spending some much-needed intimate time with your spouse? Your marriage will surely benefit, and in turn, so will your kids.
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