So, Grandma is in quarantine and you don’t want your kids to be exposed to the sitter as she might be infected with COVID-19. Sound familiar? Don’t throw out your dream of a fun romantic night with your spouse just yet. There are fun and simple things you can do to make the familiar surroundings of your home feel fresh and romantic.

1. Get the kids tired and put them to bed a little earlier than usual. Skip a nap, run them at the park, get all the wiggles out. Feed them a hefty meal of whatever they like best but save your appetite for after they go to sleep.
2. Once the kids are asleep ask your husband to prepare your favorite drinks.
3. While he’s in the kitchen, put on some lipstick, change into a dress, just do whatever it is that makes you feel fabulous.
4. Pick the cleanest room in your house and designate it as your date location. Light a candle, dim the lights, throw a blanket over the toys. Do something small to freshen up the space a bit.
5. Find a restaurant that delivers or has curbside pickup Many higher end restaurants are doing takeout now so don’t hesitate to splurge and order like calories don’t count. Get dessert too. Think of it as room service.
6. While you wait for the meal to be delivered, pull up something fun on your phone like 20 questions for married couples or some couple games. Nothing too serious, just fun, silly topics you likely haven’t covered recently. Avoid the temptation to scroll through any other apps on your phone during this time. This time is insanely valuable, but both of you need to make the commitment to be fully present.
7. Enjoy your interruption free meal!
8. Lastly, order a movie and cozy up together to watch. While under ordinary circumstances you might never consider starting a movie past 9:00 p.m., I promise the snuggles will be the fuel in your tank to meet the needs of your tiny humans for days to come.

In my house, things don’t always go according to plan. When I’ve been waiting weeks for a particular date night, a cancellation can put a huge damper on my morale. What I need to remember is that the important thing is to reconnect with my husband. I need to “date” my husband and when we were actually “dating” we didn’t always go out. Sometimes we stayed in and that felt thrilling because that was different to us. It’s all a matter of perspective and with a little effort, we can make the best of most situations. Cheers, friends.