Valentine’s Day is for Parents Too!

When my children reached school age, Valentine’s Day became more about them and less about my husband and I. Suddenly I was baking cute cupcakes, helping to make homemade cards and buying gifts for my kids. It was nice and all, but after several years of it, I now find myself thinking; Valentine’s is for lovers, is it not? And while I love my kids to death, this day is definitely NOT just about them – almost every other holiday is! So I say, let’s take back Valentine’s Day! Parents need every excuse they can get to spend quality time together.

So enough about the offspring – how do we make Valentine’s Day more about Mom and Dad? Start by taking a moment to reflect on the last time you had an intimate date with your mate. Perhaps it was a candlelit dinner? Bubble bath for two? A walk in the woods holding hands under a starlit sky? Come on – think harder, it can’t be that long ago! Well, in fact, it probably has been ages, and if you’re like most parents, you are long overdue for some romance in your life. How do you make it happen?

You don’t need to get caught up in the commercialism of the day (I know this is a common complaint for many), but use it as an excuse to make some time for each other. Get a babysitter and go out, or simply put the kids to bed on time and do something special at home.

Here are a few suggestions to get you going:

1)     Catch a rom-com movie at the theatre with shared popcorn and treats, and then grab a nightcap at a local lounge.

2)     Enjoy a leisurely cheese fondue at home in front of the fire, and follow it up with chocolate fondue and fruit – and whatever else you’d like to dip in it (wink, wink).

3)     Go snowshoeing, night skiing, snowmobiling, or skating together in the evening and warm up at a café afterwards with coffee and dessert.

4)     Give each other serious massages. Forget the usual neck or shoulder rubs on the couch; I’m talking about full-body, relaxation massages in bed with scented oils and candles. You’ll be nice and relaxed for bed… or whatever else you may feel like doing later.

Remember, Valentine’s Day is all about you as a couple. It’s a day to reminisce on why you are together and what you love about each other. It doesn’t have to be expensive, dramatic or elaborate; it just needs to show your affection for one another.

By Kristen Wint