Relationship Tip for Older Couples: Forget Date Night

Try this instead

Photo by Simi Iluyomade on Unsplash

I’m worried about my friends’ relationships. Many of them have been with their significant others for quite some time. If I had to describe their relationships, I’d use adjectives like ‘dingy’ and ‘tired’.

If their relationships were clothes, the relationships look like the sweaters at second-hand clothing stores — lots of pilling and sort of stretched out of shape, but not in a good way.

So what can couples do about their dingy relationships?

In the early days of relationships, date night is the ‘duct tape’ of relationship advice.

Spending too much time meeting the kids’ needs instead of being attentive to your partner? Then you should plan a date night once a week. Too many nights at home Netflixin’ and chillin’? Date night. Been super busy at work so haven’t spent as much time together lately? Date night.

I wonder if date night started back when going to restaurants was still a pretty, big deal. Maybe when these couples were young and money was tight, it was a fancy indulgence.

But from what I’m seeing with couples that have been together a while, date night isn’t cutting it anymore.