Date Nights

We’ve been having weekly Date Nights at our house the past month…but not the husband and wife kind (maybe that can be a goal for 2013??).  Wes and I talked about many things we wanted to change in 2012, and one of those things was increased one-on-one time between him and the kids.  So I went to our over-used yet accommodating Google calendar and booked Tuesday nights from January until May.  Tyler-night.  Emily-night.  Lauren-night.  Hannah-night. Skip-a-Tuesday-because-it’s-Valentine’s-day-and-that’s-my-night.  Tyler-night again.   Etc. 

We have been through one rotation so far, with three more sets to go before the end of May and summer starts, and it’s been a really good thing.  Tyler’s night set the stage.  (Of course, they don’t call his “date night”; it’s “hanging-out time”.  Obviously.)  Tyler chose to go out to eat with Dad and then come back home and lock the door to his room.  What they did in there, I really don’t know or want to know…but I think it had something to do with a war game on the PS3 and Star Wars Clone Wars on DVD and ultimately some sleep too at some point.

During the following weeks, Emily, Lauren and Hannah simply followed suit.  They picked their favorite place to eat, maybe ran an errand while they were out, and then came home and dragged Dad to their room for gaming/movies and bed.  Now the flip side of this little arrangement is I get the other girls in MY room for the night…but I don’t cook supper on Tuesdays, opting instead for do-your-own free-for-all, and having the evening to work or goof off or whatever I want to do without husbandly censure.  (It’s usually work, hence the censure, or lack of, on Tuesdays).

So we are all pretty much happy.  Except maybe Wes, bleary from staying up late and sleeping in strange beds every week.  But I suppose that’s a small price to pay for the adoration of three lovely ladies and the respect of one handsome young man who will one day grow up enveloped in the fullness of love and self-worth that is so necessary for healthy relationships down the road.

Yep, even when it’s not for me, I’m a fan of date night.