Crowdsourced Creative Ways To Date During A Pandemic
5 CLEVER WAYS TO AVOID DULL DATING ROUTINES
Before lockdowns and mask mandates, we all made an effort to regularly (or, let’s be honest, semi-regularly) connect with our partners.
Between articles, podcasts, and well-meaning in-laws, we’ve been told 847 times how critical it is to keep our relationships evolving and keep lines of communication open. So yes. We get it. But it’s also like cooking dinner every night. It gets repetitive and, frankly, boring.
And that’s precisely the mindset we need to shift.
Dating your partner doesn’t need to be exciting and exhilarating, but it does need to happen. The last thing we want is to lose the connection because one day, those adorable kids of yours will be teens and getting ready to move out of the house, and guess who you’ll be left with? That’s right. The person you married. And often, women find they’re living with a stranger. So take keeping the connection seriously.
Last month I wrote How To Date Your Husband During A Pandemic, and now, let’s take it one step further. Below I’ve got some simple crowdsourced ideas to help keep your dating habit alive.
Dating during a pandemic might seem complicated, but it doesn’t have to be.
When I polled over 1300 women, very, very few said they had solid date plans. Most were on auto piolet trying to survive WFH and remote learning.
HERE ARE SOME CLEVER IDEAS FROM OTHER MOMS
☞ And I’ve added a twist to show how easy it is to make something old interesting again.
① Coffee/cocktail hour: upholding pre-pandemic rituals, some moms make space for an hour of coffee and conversations. To level it up, Lillian O. suggests creating an all 80s playlist. Old songs are instant connectors. Particularly if you include ones from around the time you first met your partner.
☞ With a twist: Change locations! Different rooms, outside, take it on the road (or for a walk if booze is involved, obv.)
② Real estate dates: drive around looking at new listings for no reason except for conversation. Both Julie L. and Kate G. use these real estate excursions to dream with their husbands. No plans or pressure.
☞ With a twist: Homes not your thing? How about exploring interesting neighborhoods or nearby towns? Make a list of places you want to return to when we’re back to more normal socializing.
③ Post dinner dog walks: with or without the dogs, couples are taking walks together. When Jenna R. noticed their walks were becoming dull, she and her partner decided to choose specific, non-parenting topics to cover on their walks. She said their “walk and talks” are now more interesting.
☞ With a twist: Bring a picnic lunch, choose a different route, or walk to a destination (farmers market, new coffee shop, etc.).
④ Take a class together: if you can’t take a class in person, there are SEVERAL online options: dance lessons, art courses, or even cooking shows.
☞ With a twist: Choose a NEW recipe a week and make it together. Pick a youtube dance video and learn a few new moves for fun. My guy and I are taking an online class together that meets once a week. Not only does this give us time together, but we also don’t have to leave the house and now have one more topic to chat about.
⑤ Hikes and workouts: These are fantastic dates for those of us who are short on time. You don’t have to be chatting the entire date. Shared experiences spark more conversations and naturally bring you closer. Heather R. says working out together elevates their overall mood, and it’s after the workout she feels most connected to her husband.
☞ With a twist: Create challenges. Choose a goal (a pull-up for you and a 30” box jump for him?) and encourage each other to reach it. For hikes, try new entrances or trails. Race each other. Grab a tennis ball to play catch as you stroll. Make it interesting!
✓ Keep that connection! Then, you’ll have one less thing to work on when the kids head off to college or move across town (or gasp! Country!)
✓ Word on the parenting street is living in an empty nest is going to be hard enough!
