Do you and your spouse struggle to find the time to invest in each other? Does it seem like cleaning the house, getting your kids ready for bed, or work always get in the way? If that has been you at any point in your marriage, this episode is for you!

To help me talk about this, I have my husband, Mark, back on the show! We are going to share some fun stories and talk about why we actually prefer the word “connection” over “date,” how “date nights” are more than just going out for a fancy dinner without any kids, why it’s absolutely essential to view our marriage as the foundation of the family, and more.

There are actually three kinds of dates that every couple needs to be intentional about having in their marriage. We have found these to be important in all seasons of our lives and we know you’ll find them helpful too!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Download the Free Flirt Alert Resource
• [Article] What’s Your Love Style?
• [Book] How We Love by Milan and Kay Yerkovich
• No More Perfect Marriages Home Edition – On-Demand Seminar
• Get special access to the Date Night community!
• [Book] Marriage Meetups by Bill and Pam Farrel
• Your Marriage Playbook
• As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks!

My Key Takeaways:

1) “Dates” don’t have to be expensive or fancy. We have a tendency to think of a “date” as an elaborate event. While those can be a kind of date, we need to broaden our definition. Dates are all about intentionally connecting with your spouse. While this can happen on our traditional idea of a date, this can also be leaving your spouse a note, planning a stay-at-home picnic, or going for a walk together.

2) It’s important to find daily ways to communicate “I’m thinking of you” to your spouse. When you think of connecting with your spouse daily, these are all the little things that communicate “I’m thinking of you” in the ways your spouse appreciates. These are not big chunks of time, but little ways you connect with your spouse day after day. You may already have some of these in your marriage. Do you kiss goodnight every day? Leave your spouse a note in their lunch or on the bathroom mirror? Do you help your spouse get alone time or time to do hobbies they like? These are all examples of daily dates.

3) Prioritizing our marriage helps our kids respect marriage. Honestly, we are seeing child-centeredness wreak havoc on marriages. It may seem difficult, especially at first, but there are a few simple things you can do to teach your kids that marriage comes first without even leaving your home. Giving your kids a bedtime, or at least a time they need to be in their room, is an easy way to carve out some space to have at-home dates. And overall, being consistent about letting your kids see you prioritize time with one another teaches your kids that your marriage is the top priority in the family.