Valentine’s Day Ideas for New Parents
Only parents can grasp the astounding way in which life changes after a baby has arrived. With round-the-clock activities focused on a newborn, mom and dad often operate in pure survival mode. Dads can’t help but notice that a breastfeeding baby gets all the intimacy, even if it’s an entirely different kind. Yes, it’s a challenging time, but Valentine’s Day is an excellent reminder to keep the romance alive. Some tips for doing that as new parents follow.
Plan Ahead of Time
Give yourself and your spouse something to look forward to by scheduling some time just to be a couple. The goal is to separate yourselves from the chaos of baby care, even if an hour is the best you can manage. Just by making an effort, you are communicating that you are still as interested as ever in your romantic relationship.
Give Romance a New Twist
Chocolates and flowers are gold standards for Valentine’s Day, but being new parents practically demands finding new ways to create the right mood. All that may be required is to remove all signs of bottles, diapers, and dirty laundry from your bedroom. Light some candles, make the bed, and play the music that gets your partner turnt about your love for one another.
Get Creative
Buying something at a store may not be the perfect way to express the love you have for your fellow parent. Here are some creative ideas to inspire you:
On Valentine’s Day, give your sweetheart some spoiling. Depending on what works for your spouse, cook dinner for her, encourage him to relax on his recliner with a beer, offer to give a back rub with special oils you ordered, let him or her sleep in, or give him or her rare peace and quiet to enjoy reading or watching an entire sports game.
Instead of only the usual Valentine’s Day card, hide love notes in various places where they will likely be found throughout the day. Possible places for romantic love notes include shirt pocket, coat pocket, briefcase, in the car, in the lunch box, and in the gym bag. For a stay-at-home parent, a note could be taped on the tube of toothpaste, in the microwave, on the baby wipes, or pinned to a decorative pillow that will be placed on the bed when it’s made.
Schedule a Babysitter
If you are fortunate enough to have someone who can keep the baby for you for a few hours, go on a date. Make it a point to focus on each another and reconnect with the things that brought you together. Have fun, laugh, and tell one another that the baby may be taking up all the time, but you adults are more critical to one another than ever. Take Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to make sure that you are taking the journey of parenting together and in sync.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom and Dad!
Some say that the best gift parents can give their children is always to love one another. Valentine’s Day is a good reminder that the love you share is of utmost importance. Making an effort to keep love alive while adjusting to parenthood can make all the difference.
