According to a recent study, 59% of married couples with a child have date night less than once a month, if ever.  Is this surprising?

We’ve all heard the importance of date night, yet still, we hear it, we make a note of it, and then life gets in the way and we forget about it.

Whether you just got married, have been married for a few years, or have been married for decades, it is essential to keep date nights on the calendar.

So, when was the last time you had date night? Here are some common responses we hear:

“Oh, yeah, date night... we keep meaning to do that.”

“A few weeks ago we took the kids out for a movie. Does that count?”

“By the time we pay for a babysitter and go out for dinner, it’s too expensive and we can’t afford it.”

While it's easy to make excuses for lack of date night, it is still essential for a healthy and successful marriage.

Here are 5 reasons date nights need to be consistent in your marriage.

1. It’s an Opportunity for Romance

Date night says, oh, right, we’re a “couple” when too often it can seem that you’re simply business partners or roommates or two people running day care.

Date night is a chance to look across the table and see the person you married, the one you fell in love with, not the person who left the bed unmade or forgot to take out the trash.  Date night is what leads to intimacy which is essential for a healthy relationship.

2. It’s a chance to connect

Many times, couples think that spending quality time together means sitting on the couch binge watching Netflix. (We love Netflix, too!) but date nights are about turning off the TV, putting your phones away, and talking. It’s about giving your partner your undivided attention and listening to what’s going on with them.

If you’ve gotten into a habit of talking about your kids or work every time you’re together, take turns answering these questions together as an easy and fun little date night in. Conversation Topics

3. It’s About Fun

Date night is an opportunity to have some fun together. After all, couples that play together, stay together!

Chances are, your week was probably long and stressful. You’re exhausted and surprised that you’re even having date night. Use this time to forget about everything else, let loose and have fun together.

See how our couples are “laughing more than they have in years” HERE

4. It’s about experiencing something new

While you’re at it, try something new. Studies show that couples who explore new things together are more satisfied with their relationships. In an experiment with long-married couples, those who were instructed to do something unfamiliar and exciting rather than their usual date night showed a significant increase in marital satisfaction and feelings of love and intimacy.

Having exciting experiences also gives you an opportunity to bond and create memories worth telling your grandkids about someday!

5. It’s a Show of Commitment

Date night shows a willingness to make the other person and your relationship a priority by setting aside special time. When couples make the effort to spend time together and to continue developing their relationship, no matter what’s going on in their every day life, they are more likely to grow closer, rather than apart.

Research has shown that those who have “couple time” at least weekly are 3.5 times more likely to report being “very happy” in their marriages, compared with those spending less alone time with their mates.

Ready to commit to date night?

You know what you have to do, but now it’s all about committing to it. Whether it stresses you out trying to plan date night, find a babysitter, or keep it consistent, we’re here to help.

Bonding Bees creates and delivers a new date night each month to help couples keep date night alive all from the comfort of their home. Each month is a new theme, full of FUN, new experiences, and a chance to connect.