CHILDCARE = COUPLE’S CARE

How a babysitter can improve a marriage.

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and we’re about to say the quiet parts out loud.

No question—even during the best of times—juggling the demands of modern life is challenging. Children require a lot. Marriages also require a lot. Careers, friendships, family… You get the idea. Most of us feel like a pie that’s been cut into too many slices.

Unfortunately, quality time with your spouse is often the first casualty of our jam-packed calendars. Date night becomes the easily expendable entry. However, over time, this can erode your relationship.

A life raft for a suffering marriage.

The monotony of the daily grind can extinguish even the strongest spark. We know what you’re thinking. “My marriage has bigger problems than going out for dinner.” Certainly, for many that’s true, but more and more experts agree that intentionally carving out kid-free time as a duo isn’t just nice—it’s critical.

Date nights make room for undistracted communication and enjoying each other’s company for the pure purpose of pleasure. Does it mean it’ll rain magic and all your issues will instantly vanish? Of course not. However, it can help you and your partner feel like a team, giving you a chance to work out more significant matters together. 

Quality time as a love language?

As Rachael Pace writes in an article for Marriage.com, "In Gary Chapman’s five love languages, quality time is the language that revolves around togetherness. It is love and affection expressed through undivided attention."

Immediate benefits of making time for your relationship include trust building, improved communication, stress relief, and enhanced emotional connection. You’ll also create new “just-the-two-of-us” memories. So, how much quality time do you need?

Even small gains will snowball down to your kids.

The point is to be intentional about giving each other meaningful, undivided attention while doing something fun. Don’t put too much pressure on what you do and where you go.

You can start by simply heading out for a walk. Next, stretch it to a couple of hours, grabbing a coffee and dessert. Then, work up to dinner and a movie, and so forth. Okay, so what about frequency?

The 2-2-2 Date Night Rule of marriage.

Studies have found that there IS in fact a magic number. It’s recommended that couples go on a date night once every two weeks, get away for a long weekend every two months, and take a week-long vacation every two years. Try to stick to this ratio to help keep that spark alive.

It might feel like a chore in the beginning, but inevitably, it’ll remind you of all the warm and fuzzy things that made you a couple in the first place. And most of all, remember that date night is about YOU and your needs and desires as a couple, not your children.

Many people think childcare is either a full-time nanny or your neighborhood teenager, but there is another option! Preferred ChildCare offers a membership program that lets you call or email in your date night (or any other event) request.  

It keeps your costs low and predictable without forcing you to compromise on quality. We don't do anything randomly, and our NannyMatch System™ ensures that every placement is hyper-personalized, so every family always gets the best fit for their needs.

“Partnering with Preferred ChildCare saved my marriage.” That’s a direct quote from a dear, long-term client and one of our all-time favorite testimonials.

So, what did we do that was so great? We provided reliable, first-rate childcare so that this busy Mom and Dad could turn their attention to each other.

And we don’t just mean a babysitter so that you can leave the house. We mean completely disconnecting for a few hours from worrying about the kids—because you know they’re in good hands—and reconnecting with your partner and remembering why you’re together in the first place. 

Sounds nice, doesn’t it? It’s not too late to rethink your Valentine’s Day, but it will be soon! Contact us today!