Married couples don’t need another dinner and Netflix date night.
You need something that makes you feel like people again, not just two tired roommates coordinating snacks, bedtime and the dishwasher.
Here are 40 date ideas for couples who want to actually reconnect:
I’m not going to dogpile this guy anymore, but as a dad of 3 (ages 5, 3, and 1.5) this is how to guide to play more with the kids:
Embrace the suck: Playing with kids is work, and it's okay to acknowledge that it's not always easy or fun or the thing that you want to be doing at the moment. However, if you want to raise kids with grit, it's valuable to model the kinds of behavior you want to see in them.
Create kids you want to hang out with: Of course, everybody has their natural inclinations. But it turns out you can make miniature versions of yourself that are fun to hang out with. Bring your hobbies and interests into your kids' lives in ways that are age-appropriate. You'd be surprised at the ways that you can make it work.
My oldest is great with Legos and actually can build a lot of sets by himself now, but that took lots of practice and us building together. We have been making "cocktails" together and making him a mocktail version of whatever I'm having. We'll sit on the porch and chat, enjoying a glass of something together.
Anything can be play time: When it's time for me to assemble Ikea furniture or do a chore out in the yard, I try to find a way to get my kids involved in helping, even if it's just distracting them with a few pieces that make them feel like they're involved without getting too much in the way. That could look like giving them a spare rake to push leaves around, or asking them to hold all those extra Ikea parts, or being the “trash monster”, picking up all the trash and putting it into a trash bag while you do something.
Love the mess: Take inspiration from Marie Kondo and love the mess. Understand that whatever you do with your kids isn’t going to be perfect. Make a mess and cause problems, but that is okay. Embrace the mess because it’s temporary, and everything can be cleaned up.
You're more important to your kids than anyone else: I'm blessed that I love my work and find it meaningful, but there's a trap there. Work can feel more important than anything else in my life because I'm passionate about it. It can feel sacrificial to work extra long hours, but often it’s me being selfish and sacrificing time with my family. To be sure, there are some jobs like doctors or military or police where lives truly are on the line, but for most of us, they’re really not. You’ll have more impact on the world raising your kids well than anything you do professionally.
You can be replaced at work. You can't be replaced at home.
There's going to be a last time: Every night, my 5-year-old asks me to carry him up the stairs to bed. Once in a while I say no, but almost every day it’s a yes, because there will be a last time he asks. There’s going to be a last time he asks me to play with him, and it’s coming sooner rather than later. @sahilbloom:
“By the time your child turns 18, you've spent ~95% of the time you will ever spend with them in your lifetime.”
95%. I’ve got less than 13 years until my oldest turns 18. How much can I afford to say no?
The clock is ticking.
If Lake Turkana were anywhere else it would have leisure cruises.
If Mt. Kenya were anywhere else it would have 100+ climbers daily.
If Taita Hills were anywhere else it would have luxury spas.
If Malindi were anywhere else it would have daily direct international flights.
When you have raised such strong children, nothing can move you. Jimmy Wanjigi has earned his stripes in the liberation of our country. We must be mindful not to forget
Don't shoot at me in my house 😭😭 This is absolutely unacceptable!.
Where are we heading as a country. There are better ways that the police can use to arrest someone. This is absolutely unacceptable!