How to Plan a Date Night for Mom, Even if she isn’t Asking for One

Mom’s work. Hard. Seriously, we do the jobs of about 15 different people. The best part is, we do all of their jobs in one day. Cooking, cleaning, taxi driving children, banking, customer service, the list goes on and on. Not only do we do all of these jobs, but we also do not quit our day at 5pm. For many of us, 5pm means the start of our “mom job” after we finish our “day job”. Sounds fun, right?

Ok guys, so we really do love being mom’s. I’m not going to say that we would not run off to live with the gypsy’s for a couple weeks if we were given half a chance, but most of us would come back long before our stay was over. (Yeah, I noted that only most of us are coming back. Some of us are running for the hills. No shame in thinking it momma.) All this being said, we need a night off from time to time.

Hubby’s, this is where you come in. (The term “hubby” here is used loosely. If you are dating, engaged, in an “open relationship” or any other term you want to use to classify your domestic relationship with the mom living in your home, this is directed at you.)

I know that you have all seen those posts on Facebook. You know the ones. The picture that some lucky lady took of the note on a new outfit that tells her to  be dressed and ready by 7pm for a date night. Yeah, this post is about that.

Why Mom’s NEED Date Night

Friday rolls around for us mom’s, and while other people see the weekend approaching, we see  a whole new set of chores that need to be accomplished. Kids games, meal plans for the week, sleep overs, cleaning the entire house in the 30 minutes before the in-laws show up. Needless to say, our Friday’s can be anxiety inducing. Heck, some of us mom’s have been at it so long, we do not remember the last time we left the house without one of our children.

We are tired, we are stressed, and we are probably beating ourselves up over all the things we didn’t get done this week. We should be practicing self care, but honestly, we are not doing great at finding the time for that. How do you fix this? Simple. Take us out! Give us a night to be ourselves again, without the kids around.

Trust me, we may not ask for it, but we need it.

The Initiation

Here is where I am going to spell it out for you. Guys, we do not seriously expect you to go buy us a new outfit for date night, or even do something extravagant that needs to be plastered all over Facebook. (Honestly, I really do not even know that I would want my husband to be buying me a date outfit. I am somewhat fearful my outfit would look something like what you see in the Goodwill Date pictures.)

Initiating a date night can be as easy as you texting us on your way out of work. Tell us in  your text to be ready to go out when you get home. Better yet, leave us a note on the bathroom mirror with the same message before you leave in the morning. I promise, that simple gesture will spark the excitement in your lady, and make her day.

When you get home to pick your significant other up, remember that chivalry isn’t dead. The mom in your life works hard, treat her like the special lady that she is! Open the doors for her, carry her coat, let her know you notice all the work she is putting in. It is going to go a long way for you.

The Execution

We really do not have to go to a five star restaurant for it to be a date. Personally, I am beyond impressed when my husband pulls off dinner and a movie, or even drinks and dessert. (Because seriously, not many women out there are going to turn down a good glass of wine and cake. Am I right ladies?) The biggest thing with date night, we want you to decide where we are going.

Yes, you are going to have to make this big decision on your own. All day as mom’s we have to be the decision makers for ourselves, and our children. What are we having for breakfast? Lunch? What clothes are everyone going to wear? Did I wash them? Did the 9 year old brush her hair? Do I need to put it up when I brush it for her for the 6th time this week so she doesn’t go to school and get picked on? Is it really essential for the 3 year old to leave the house with shoes?

All of the decisions  can be very overwhelming. Want to have a great date night? You pick the activities. It allows us to think less, relax more, and let our hair down.

The Kids

This one is another big one guys. Remember when I said that as mom’s we love our kids to no end, hence the reason we work so hard to do well by them? Guess what? Date night is not the night we want to have the responsibility for the kids.

Do you really want your lady to feel like you appreciate what she is doing? You handle the kids. Schedule the babysitter, and make sure that they know to contact you first in the case of any issues. Make sure that the kids are out of mommy’s hair when she is getting ready. Nothing creates more stress than trying to fight the toddler for your only good lipstick without getting it on your 3rd outfit for the evening. (I obviously am not speaking from experience on this one. This would never happen in my house.)

I cannot tell you how awesome it feels to be able to breathe easy knowing that our better half has taken care of all of the arrangements with the kids. Really guys, this one gives you bonus points.

Relax, and Have Fun

Again guys, we are not striving for perfection here. As mom’s, we simply want a night out every once in an while in order to feel a bit more like the normal, sane adult we know we have buried deep, deep down. As a result, you will be blessed with a much happier mom at the end of the night, as we have the opportunity to remember why we do what we do.

Please remember however, these date nights are just as much about your enjoyment as they are about ours. Really, we benefit from seeing you happy, and seeing you happy with just us reminds us just how special we are. Therefore, don’t get so caught up in the execution of everything that you forget to enjoy yourself!

Ok guys, if you have not already started thinking about your next date night, please consider it. The momma’s in your life need it! And mom’s, if you are not getting to have those date nights, shoot this post over to your guy! Hopefully, it will be the nudge they need to get planning.

What is important to you in a night off of mom duties? Your favorite date night activities? Let me know in the comments below. I would love to hear from you!

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