A Child-Centered Life | MarriagePartnership.com

My six-year-old son, Austin, stood at the door and cried, "Mommy, don't go!" as I placed a small overnight bag in the car. My husband, Mark, had just called me from an out of town trip and asked me to join him for a 24-hour overnight getaway in Chicago before returning home.

I'd struggled making the mental adjustment. Mark had called me on my cell phone while I was waiting in the carpool line at our older son's high school.

"Meet me in Chicago," Mark said. "Drive up there tonight, and let's take some time for just the two of us."

Making it happen without robbing a bank

Looking for a way to make your marriage a priority in the midst of rearing your family? Consider these strategies:

Childcare Options:

Hire a teenager to commit to one night a week as your babysitter. This keeps your dates regularly scheduled and allows your children to become accustomed to a regular sitter.
If grandparents, aunts, or uncles live in town, ask them to consider having a special night with the kids every week or every other week.
Trade sitting with another family. One night you watch their children and the next week they watch yours.

Inexpensive Dates:

Share a meal when you eat out. (Make sure to tip the waiter the estimated cost of two meals because he's serving two people.)
Check out the local ice cream shop and order a root beer float complete with two straws!
Explore the zoo or a museum.
Take ballroom dancing classes at the local Parks and Recreation Center.
Go out for pie.

"No Cost" Dates

Take a walk in the park, holding hands and talking.
Spread a blanket on the ground and enjoy the night sky.
Take a bike ride.
Go to a bookstore and find books to look at and dream together.
Revisit the location of your first date and reminisce.
Put the kids to bed and watch your wedding video or look at your wedding photos.
Take a drive in the country and talk about your dream home.
Slow dance in your bedroom or living room.
Have a quiet evening at home, make a meal, light some candles, and rent a movie.

"You're crazy," I told him, frustrated that he'd just put me in the position of making a decision that was sure to disappoint someone. I'd have to leave within two hours to make Mark's plan work, first finding a sitter, getting the kids' school items together for the next morning, and packing a bag for me. It was a two-hour drive to Chicago from our central Illinois home—not exactly something I was looking forward to doing alone.