Most Parents Skip Date Night on Valentine's Day
So, parents, how many of you planned a date night this Valentine’s Day? I know I sure didn’t. The idea didn’t even cross my mind. According to a new survey out by Groupon and OnePoll, I am not alone.
It turns out, a majority of us just flat-out stopped considering this a holiday for couples once we added little ones to our family. That’s not to say we don’t miss the romance, too.
Of the 2,000 parents of children ages 5-18, 56 percent said they plan on spending this Valentine’s Day with their children, and 79 percent prefer to make this a family holiday. These survey stats came with a sweet quote from Groupon’s head of experiences, Brian Fields: “As parents, it’s great if we can pull off a romantic date night experience with our partner on Valentine’s Day. However, it’s also about celebrating our other loves, too.”
Is that the full picture?
I’m sure some of us say those heartwarming things, but what we really mean is: I’m not booking a babysitter in order to go out on the same night as every other couple to fight for a table and overpay for an underwhelming prix-fixe meal. I’d rather just go out on a different night and get my money’s worth of that child-free time.
Or, we’re just too busy, broke and exhausted, like the 31 percent of parents who said they couldn’t even remember the last time they spend a Valentine’s Day alone with their partner. The survey also said that the average parent hadn’t been on a date in three years. Things are worse than we thought, guys.
If you’re a glass-half-full parent, you’ll be happy to learn that 77 percent said they feel happier and more fulfilled as parents than they did before. The things they look forward to most at the end of the day are making dinner for the family and tucking their kids into bed. So that’s nice.
Still, we’re worried for ourselves and the 81 percent who said they need more frequent date nights. Here’s the thing: Babysitters are expensive, but so are divorce attorneys. Call a friend with kids and arrange a babysitting swap ASAP. It does not need to happen on Valentine’s Day. Just take any old night and remind each other of why you two formed a family together in the first place.
Even if you can’t buy these sexy gifts in time for Valentine’s Day, they’re still worth a look.
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