Today is the first proper weekend since my London living husband is here with me in Malaysia.
So today, after picking up DD2 Millie from school, as we were driving home in the rain, I casually asked hubby “Shall we go on a date tonight?”
“Where do you want to go? asked said hubby.
“I don’t know, do you want to suggest?”
“How about I take you driving to the Petronas station, get the tank filled up, tyres pressure checked, radiator check and get that falling bumper fixed?”
I knew he was being silly yet a little serious as he’s here for just another week and knew he wanted to do all these things for me as a husband.So I chuckled.
“Daddy!!! That’s not what going on a date means!! Mummy meant that you’ll take her out somewhere nice, she puts on some nice clothes, you buy her some flowers and do something romantic together. Which is kinda yucky but you know, that’s what going on a date means!!” piped in Millie with all seriousness.
I laughed and had to tell her I knew her daddy was just messing about and I would not accept a date to the local gas station.
“But mummy, you and daddy are already married. So why do you need to go on a date? Isn’t that for people not married?”
“When people are married, it’s even more important that they keep dating. Dating keeps the marriage alive. You keep remembering why you fall in love with each other. It is actually less yucky to go dating with your husband than it is with your boyfriend, don’t you think? I asked with a smile.
Said daughter seemed satisfied with such an answer. I would have been happy to press on and share more had she been older. I would have shared how dating is imperative for a couple to keep the marriage alive, as they were lovers first, before being man and wife. Dating keeps them on their toes. It helps each other remember why they fell in love in the first place. The little things that excite them about each other. Their likes and dislikes. Sharing an adult social interaction.
Being working parents mean we sometimes are so engrossed in our professional lives that we forgot certain aspects of our personal lives. We come home and went from a professional straight to a parent. Many even have lazily called each other Mum and Dad. There are no more Honeys, Darlings, Sweethearts or Sugar Pies. There are no more caresses in private, replaced by a sleepy bed time routine with the children. They are no more ‘feed me sexy foods’ moments, replaced by messy ‘feed me mum/dad’ moments.
Marriage in this century faces more ‘assault’ on the home front that we need to work even harder to keep it alive and going. And going dating is as important as reading the kids a bedtime story. It feeds the mind and soul and will keep the smile through the night.
Try it if you haven’t!
p.s There ARE rules to dating your husband/wife if you didn’t already know!