1. Keeping date night shows your spouse that you prioritize him or her.
Choose a date on the calendar, and don’t let anything else get in the way of that special time you have chosen to spend together.  Your husband or wife is the most important person in your life- show them that!

2. Dates are a great chance to learn something new about your spouse.
I already know what Chris likes on his sandwiches and how he likes his eggs cooked.  But if we went out for dim sum or Ethiopian food, I bet we would both learn something new about one another’s taste!  I love that there’s always something new to learn about your spouse, whether you have been married just a year or 50 years.

3. Getting out of the house can make us take a step back and look at bigger-picture stuff.
At home, Chris and I often chat about the day-to-day: funny things our toddlers said, what we need from the grocery store, etc.  But when we break the routine and change up our setting a little, it’s different.  We step back and examine how our marriage is going, how parenting is going, how life as a whole is going.  We can encourage one another on the journey, and reevaluate our routines where necessary.  This is really important for us to do every month or so!

4. Dates help us make new memories.
Don’t get me wrong, I love lying on the couch watching Brooklyn 99 with Chris, but we rarely tell stories that start, “Remember that one night, watching Netflix?”  When we get out of the house, we can make memories together and bond over new experiences.  This is especially true if we don’t just go out for dinner but opt for something more unique instead.  For example, we have enjoyed antique shopping, nature walks, and live performances together.  Some of these have been cheap or even free, but we had so much fun and we still love reminiscing about those times months or years later.

Happy dating!