Dating
Imagine, for a moment, if a NFL football team stopped practicing during their regular season schedule. Would professional football players benefit from skipping workouts or cheating routes in practice? The answer is, quite obviously, no. Ironically, couples in marriages so often forget that their relationship doesn’t have an off-season. Once we’ve exchanged vows, the pursuit of our spouse is not over. Just as professional athletes continue to train in the middle of football season, married couples should continue to pursue each other through dating.
If you’ve been taking a break from dating, here are a few quick tips to get you back in the game with your spouse:
- Set a time (weekly, biweekly, monthly) for date night, and actually use the words “date night” in your vocabulary when incorporating it into your schedule.
- Leave the kids at home, or exile them to another room.
- Be creative–date nights do not have to cost a dime. If going out is not an option, stay in. Cook dinner together, watch a movie or play a board game, and see where the night takes you from there.
- Pay attention to your spouse’s favorite places. Plan a date at their favorite restaurant, sporting event, or amusement park.
- Dress up every once in awhile. Forego the t-shirt and shorts, and break out those clothes that make you feel beautiful/handsome. There’s something to be said for dressing nicely for your spouse and going on a date together feeling you look your best.
- Use question cards to spark new conversations. Download an app for your smartphone, search questions on the internet, or simply create your own pen-and-paper list.