52 First Dates: Week One

So are you ready?  I'm really excited and truth by told, my husband is too.  I was telling him about this idea and I could see the wheels turning in his head already.

This week's challenge is going to sound easy, but it's really not.  So hear me out.  Your challenge this week is to create couch time every evening (or at least Mon-Friday).  Couch time is time for you and your husband to sit down every evening and just have a few minutes to talk over your day and encourage one another.  Ideally this would be something you would do as soon as your spouse comes home from work, but... ok, I understand that's the craziest time of the day.  Kids are starving and want Daddy's attention, dinner's on the stove, and the dog is running through the house with a tutu on his head.

Or something like that.

(Perhaps you could start 5 minutes after your spouse gets home so that dinner could be simmering, the kids could have a quick hug and fido has been released from dress-up time)

I would suggest that you sit the kids down that first night and explain to them that they are loved.  Mommy and Daddy are excited to spend time with them.  But... Mommy and Daddy are each other's first priority and as such, they need a few minutes together.

Now that you've laid the ground work, spend a few minutes together just talking.  You can start with 5 minutes or 10 minutes.  It doesn't have to be a huge time commitment as long as you are communicating to each other that you are making time for each other.

Try to relax.  Find a comfortable spot in the house: the couch, your room, the back patio.  Take a few minutes to breathe and just listen to one another.

Try to be as positive as possible.  Believe me, I know how hard that is when there's little ones involved and you're teaching manners, and potty training, and you just want a few minutes to vent.  But even in your time together, try to be constructive, positive, and encouraging.

Finally have one long smooch and a slap on the butt and back to reality (ok, maybe's that's not part of the assignment, but I figure my husband will like that part).

This may sound easy, but be forewarned.  My husband and I have been trying to make this a part of our routine for a week and we've only succeeded twice.  It takes lots of discipline, even on our part, and we want to spend time together.

I'll upload the Facebook event page today and link it here.  Let us know how you're doing and any creative ideas you've found for making this work and sticking with it.

*Linked to Works for Me Wednesday