Want to Subscribe to Our Newsletter? Enter your E-mail Address Here

Enter your First Name (optional)

Then

Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure.
I promise to use it only to send you Finding Joy in Marriage.

Home
Finding Joy Blog
Building Blocks
Stumbling Blocks
 Dialed In
Resources
Helpful Links
About Me
Marriage Course
Blog Postings
My Book
Contact Us
Privacy Statement
Terms of Use

[?] Subscribe To This Site

XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Subscribe with Bloglines

Date Ideas and Date Tips That Will Enhance Your Marriage!

Date Night

Why Date Night?

One valuable date idea of many date ideas is understanding the need for ongoing courtship. Taking time periodically for each other to go on a ‘date’ is extremely important. It will help to foster an environment of togetherness. It will help to strengthen the bonds and ties the two of you have for each other.

Too often couples stop making time for each other. They stop spending quality time together just as a couple. Other things start getting in the way, and before long you have two people living under the same roof who no longer even know each other.

All successful relationships take time and effort. All successful relationships require both parties to spend time together doing things they love and enjoy. Moreover, having a date night allows couples to keep the romance alive. It allows the two of you to have something to look forward to each week. When you were dating before you were married, didn’t you look forward to each date the two of you had? Why should anything be different after you get married?

Date Ideas 1: What Can You Do?

So what are some date ideas you can do for date night? Well, what did the two of you enjoy doing before you were married? Did you like to go out to eat? Did you like to go to the movies? Did you enjoy window-shopping? Just do something that gets you out of the house and enjoying each other’s company. Date ideas can be simple.

Maybe you don’t have as much money as you used to, so now what can you do? Be creative. I know couples in college who are as poor as church mice, but they can find things to do. Sometimes museums will have a certain time during the week where admission is free in order to create interest in what they have to offer. You can go for a walk in the park. You can go for a drive, albeit this option has become more expensive in recent years. Go out for ice cream. Go to a dollar movie. There is so much you can go do and see wherever you may live; you just need to use your imagination for good date ideas.

Marriage Success Building Exercise

Take ten to fifteen minutes for this exercise. First determine what night during the week works for date night. Next, brainstorm together and make a list of anything and everything that may be fun to do. Include all the things you used to do when you were dating as well as any other date ideas you can think of. List everything that you can think of. Determine what sounds good to both of you and what is more appealing. Now pick three or four things from the list and schedule them into your calendar. Include one activity you both would like to do, and one activity that each of you would like to do. This will provide some variety and allow each person date ideas to do what they want to do.

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Date Ideas 2: Finding Time?

Time can become a big obstacle to date night. Miscellaneous things can also arise that can serve as impediments to your marital success. If you have no time, then you need to look at how you spend your time. For the next week, I need you both to log everything you do, at what time, and for how long. Once you have done this, examine how you really spent your time. Chances are you will see that you didn’t use your time as wisely as you thought, or you were involved in a hundred different things.

If you aren’t using your time wisely, then find ways in which to get better organized. There are all kinds of systems out there you can use, and there are books available that can help you be more organized. Start by setting goals you want to achieve today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year and so forth. Goals will allow you to focus on those activities that allow you to be the person you want to become. Goals allow you to predict your own destiny and then go out and make it happen.

If you are involved in too many activities, then you will need to make some hard decisions. It all goes back to goals. You need to look at your goals and focus on those things that are most important to you. Also, remember there is a time and a season in life for all things. There will be times in your life when you will have more time to devote to some goals rather than others.

For example, if you are in the stage of your life where you have small children, how realistic is it then to try and take up skydiving and car racing while working full time? That doesn’t mean you can’t do those things, but maybe you have to put them on hold for a few years. Maybe you want to spend a lot of time doing community service, but you have a job that requires you travel frequently. Maybe you should wait until you have reached a point in your life at which you can take a job that pays less but allows you more time to do community service.

The idea here is that you take a look at what is important in your life and weed out those things that may be inappropriate at your current time of life – even though they may be good things for you as an individual. Remember, your marriage needs to be high on the priority list. It really doesn’t matter how great a PTA president you have become if it costs you your family. It doesn’t matter how successful your softball team is if your wife leaves you because you haven’t been there for her.

I am not saying any of these things are bad. The problem is that today there are so many good things and causes; you can’t be involved with all of them because the list is endless. When you are involved in too many activities good things can cost you the thing that means the most to you, and that is your family. It is okay to be involved in one or two good, worthwhile things, but you have to decide how these things fit into your life so they don’t overtake the time that should be devoted to your family.

So take action right now. Decide today how you will incorporate date night into your routine. It may be nothing more than picking up the phone and calling your spouse to share with them this great new date idea or date ideas you have. Tell them you want to spend a little time talking about it when you see each other at home. It could be sending him or her email to let them know about this great new idea. Use your imagination. Just get started now.

Date Night

Have A Great Story or Advice About Date Night?

What are some great ideas you have for date night? Do you have a funny or inspirational story about date night? Do you have a date night success story? We would like to hear it. Share it!

Enter Your Title

Tell Us Your Story! [ ? ]

Upload 1-4 Pictures or Graphics (optional) [ ? ]

Add a Picture/Graphic Caption (optional) 

Click here to upload more images (optional)

Author Information (optional)

To receive credit as the author, enter your information below.

Your Name

(first or full name)

Your Location

(ex. City, State, Country)

Submit Your Contribution

Check box to agree to these submission guidelines.


(You can preview and edit on the next page)

Date Ideas 3: Kids: A Proper Perspective

I have seen too many parents whose marriages have suffered because they are under the notion that they have to expose their kids to everything life has to offer. They have their kids involved in three or four activities at one time such as sports, dance, singing lessons, voice lessons, mime lessons, boy scouts, girl scouts, acting lessons, and anything else they can think of. What happens?

These people have stressed-out kids who aren’t getting enough sleep because they have too much going on. In addition, the kids don’t have the opportunity just to be kids. They wind up growing up too fast and really don’t have time to enjoy simply being a kid. Sometimes the kids don’t learn the value of family either because they are never with their family. Some of the best lessons a parent can teach a child are when they are raking leaves together or working on some family chore together.

Additionally, kids need to have chores and assignments they are responsible for around the house. It teaches them the importance of being respectful of their home and their family. People are much more inclined to take care of items when they are responsible to a small degree for the upkeep.

Kids don’t need to be involved in more than one or two activities at a time maximum. Let them be kids. Teach them to work around the house. Teach them that they are part of a family and Mom and Dad mean more to them than just a meal ticket and a taxi service. If you don’t, is it any wonder many of your children don’t appreciate what they have? Why should they? They have nothing invested when it comes to family under those circumstances.

Finally, Mom and Dad suffer because they just become a taxi service to the kids, and so they never have time for each other. When they do have time for each other, they don’t have the energy to enjoy each other’s company. Remember, remember, and remember, your relationship with each other is the most important relationship you have. One day the kids will be gone, and it will just be the two of you. Date night becomes the perfect vehicle to be sure you always take some time every week to nurture your relationship. It allows you to stay in love with each other. It allows you to make sure your relationship continues to grow. It will not happen by accident. Your love will continue to grow because you decide you will not let your love for each other diminish. Don’t let the things of the world overtake you and cause you to lose focus.

No, date night will not interfere with your children. It won’t take needed time away from them. It will actually help your children more than you can imagine.Children are at their most self-assured when they know Mom and Dad love each other.

Children who come from homes whose parents take time for each other and are in love with each other are better adjusted. They do better in school. They are less inclined to take illegal drugs and become involved in risky sexual behavior. They tend to view home as a refuge and are much closer to their parents.

In addition, it sets the proper example for kids on how they should treat their spouses when they themselves marry. It increases the kids’ odds of choosing compatible mates and increases their likelihood of success in marriage. They will want to have the same type of marriage their parents had and will seek out those people able to provide that type of love to them. Never underestimate the power of example.

Children look to their parents to see how they handle the day-to-day things. They look to their parents as an example of how grown-ups behave. Most children when they are little want to be just like Mom or Dad. Imagine how your children feel when they know the two of you love each other and look forward to spending time together.

Do you honestly think it would upset them? When they are smaller they might want to come along, but as they get older it provides them with a tremendous sense of stability and self-worth knowing that their parents like to spend time alone together. Believe it or not, kids actually feel good when they know all is well at home. They feel peace knowing that just because Mom and Dad may disagree from time-to-time, they still love each other and are committed to each other one hundred percent. Date night will demonstrate this commitment to your children. Use these date ideas and grow closer together as a couple.

Want to Subscribe to Our Newsletter? Enter your E-mail Address Here
Enter your First Name (optional)
Then

Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure.
I promise to use it only to send you Finding Joy in Marriage.

Return from Date Ideas to Dialed In Love Advice

Return from Date Ideas to Marriage-Advice-For-A-Better-Marriage.com

Custom Search