Date Night Fail.
Don't Blow Date Night By Making These 3 Mistakes
By Jimmy Sliwa
We are all proud of our successes.
We can’t deny that it feels good to win; especially when we win in the romance department.
Remember when she leaned into you, and you could feel her exhale as she rested on your chest?
We all want to be the guy that our wife fawns over. That’s one of the best feelings for a husband.
But let’s be honest. That guy shows up infrequently; especially in our busy lives with 40-hour work weeks and toddlers running around.
We all fail at times. But it’s best to learn from mistakes so you can have more wins on record.
As recently as last week, I had a serious date fail. Keep reading to learn from my mistakes. It went like this.
On Monday, I asked my wife if she wanted to go on a date tomorrow night. She said yes.
Great! Except I hadn’t found a babysitter yet.
So she called around and took care of the babysitter situation. (mistake #1 – leaving plans to the wifey).
When the sitter arrived we bolted out the door. Things were going well until the restaurant I had chosen was closed for repairs.
Uh oh! (mistake #2 – no reservations).
Fortunately I had a backup plan, so away we went. The restaurant experience was just fine. It was a hole in the wall, but at least the food was good.
When we got home from a pretty average date night, I made the third and final mistake of bringing up finances. I said something along the lines of “wow, date night is much more expensive when we have to pay for a babysitter.” (mistake #3 – end date night with a heavy topic).
Date night is meant to be a fun way to experience your spouse. This is not the place to have big discussions on hot topics.
- Mistake #1: Leave plans to the wife. (Specific delegation is ok but don’t leave plans to the wife).
- Mistake #2: lack of planning
- Mistake #3: talk big topics at the wrong time
Three strike and you are out!
Do's and Don'ts of Date Night
Do
- Give Your Wife 1 week Notice
- Make Restaurant Reservations
- Dress Nicely
- Put the Phone on Airplane Mode
- Ask Your Wife Questions About Herself
- Pay Attention to Your Wife
Don't
- Plan the Day Before
- Assume the Restaurant is Available
- Wear Everyday Clothes
- Text During the Date
- Talk About Yourself Only
- Get Distracted by the Sports Bar TV
What started off as a good thought turned out to be a big flop.
Whoever coined the phrase “it’s the thought that counts” was dead wrong. It is not the thought that counts, it’s that execution that counts.
Good thoughts without the follow through is a dream not a reality.
I could plan a great night on the town with a wonderful meal and good conversation, but if this plan never comes to fruition then it’s all for naught.
If it is the execution that matters, husbands need to get better at planning. Personally, this is my biggest mistake. I often don’t put in as much thought and organization into date night. Just reserving a restaurant is not sufficient planning for date night.
Date night is not about checking off a box, it’s more about making your sweetheart feel special.
A little forethought goes a long way.
4 Tips to Make Date Night a Success
Make Restaurant Reservations in Advance
Nothing kills the mood more than waiting for a seat at a restaurant. Make reservations in advance so that you are not the couple waiting by the revolving door.
Have an after dinner plan
Dinner is easy. Plan something after so the night has an element of surprise. Examples: desert, go for a drive, go to mall and people watch, go for a walk, park at a scenic overlook.
HAVE A CLEAN HOUSE TO COME HOME TO
What I am trying to say is clean the house before you go on a date. This way you come home to a clean and orderly home so you don’t have to spend time on date night cleaning.
Have something interesting to talk about
When you are married longer than 1 year you have covered most topics at great length. Go into date night with a planned conversation(s) so that the conversation doesn’t grow dull. Examples: goals for the year, talk about plans for a future vacation,
