Steve and I had a discussion not long ago about wanting to make sure that our kids got one on one time with Mom and Dad regularly. Since adding the 4th little bundle of joy, it's often hard to get quality time with the older ones because the younger ones are so needy.
So, we came up with Date Night. Every Tuesday evening, one kid gets to go on a date with either Mom or Dad. So far the kids LOVE it and won't let us forget either. ;) They are always figuring out how many more days until Tuesday.
Last week it was Scarlett and I's turn. We let the kids choose what they want to do. So we went to dinner at Noodles & Co. and then went and got pedicures. Scarlett's first official pedicure...
(photo courtesy of the iPhone)
Pretty sure she'll be requesting more of these because she loved it! Then she and I did some shopping. I came home and Steve asked me how it was and I said that she was a great time! She just chats away and loves to shop and do the things that I like to do, so I had a blast! ;)
It was Kanyon and I's turn last night and he chose Megamind in 3D that happened to be a the dollar movie theater. It was great! He just sits there and is happy as can be watching the show with his drink and candy. He even snuggled up to me and held my hand... what a great date. :) I love that he's not too old for that anymore.
Cohen even got his one on one time running errands with just me last week. He was so well behaved and happy the whole time. I forget that because he is the hardest one to take in addition to all the other kids, that often times he is the first one I'm wanting to leave home when I have things to do. Really though, I think a lot of his misbehaving is boredom/attention seeking. I'm trying very hard to remember that in our regular day to day activities. So, I'm even making an effort to have that quality time with him too even though he's so young.
Steve and I both want to have a really close relationship with all of our kids individually and we're hoping that this one on one time is a step in the right direction to be able to have that. So far, it's going great and I highly recommend it. Plus the kids just get excited even for the simplest things.
5 comments:
Best idea ever. Hope you don't mind that I steal this idea! It's so important for these kids to have one on one time, so I love it.
Love this idea!
Steal away, Nicole! That's exactly why I shared it. :)
Jake and I were just talking about doing this the other night! My friend does it with her kids and they love it. And I was totally the Cohen in my family. I was a spit-fire and would always (probably a lot more than Cohen because my siblings STILL talk about it) did things for attention and it was always negative because that was the easiest attention to get. :) But I turned out fine, at least I think so. :) It sounds like you are doing a great job juggling FOUR young kids!
I love this idea.
After my divorce I would do this with each of my kids while the other stayed at grandmas house, it was a lot of fun. You get to know a lot about your kids and each other. When I remarried my husband thought I was weird and gets upset when they want a night out with mom so they kinda slowly stopped. Now they beg for the chance to even go to the store alone with me. He will never understand but I think its important to give them that one on one. Anything he didn't do as a kid is weird and not needed. I disagree and he knows it. I still try to find ways to fit it in differently a little one on one, even if its sitting alone in their room and reading a book together and they love it, life is so busy now and its hard. would love my hubby to understand and start it again. My youngest gets mom time alot where she is only in half day kindergarten but that will soon change too.
Have fun on your date nights out!
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