Family Night Out

Keeping close bonds in a busy family is our number one priority! When my husband and I were first married we decided that we would have a set date night to just go out and be together. During these times out together we talked more, shared our goals and dreams with each other. We talked more in the car and in the restaurant than we ever talked at home. It was and still is, our open line of communication. We looked forward to Fridays not because it was the beginning of the weekend, but because it was date night.

A little bit expensive you may say? I agree, but I am not willing to give up this tradition and invaluable connection tool that we have fallen upon.

Anticipating the arrival of our first son and thinking that we would never be capable of leaving the house again, we doubled up on date nights. Looking back I laugh at the way we use to say, "We better do it now, because who knows when we'll get the chance later." Within two weeks of Rook's birth we were taking him with us to our favorite restaurant and date night became family night out.

Now three years and another child later, we are still going every Thursday night to our favorite restaurant. (Bonus, children eat free until age three.) I look forward to this night not just because someone else is cooking, and its a chance to leave the house for an evening, but because we are doing it as a family.

We talk about the week, upcoming events, special projects, and a little bit about our jobs. At our last dinner, we talked with our three-year-old about his upcoming birthday and what kind of cake he wants and what his favorite present would be. We talked about our one-year-old upcoming birthday and how special it will be to celebrate Halloween and a birthday at the same time.

As the kids get older we have decided that we may not always go out for dinner. But it does have to be just the four of us, leaving the house and be an activity that we can talk during. (We ruled out movies and arcades.) It has become a family tradition and one that we want to continue for as long as we all live under the same roof. In a day and age where teenagers hardly acknowledge their parents we want to be sure that the lines of communication are open with opportunity.

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