Dates!

Do you go on dates with your kids? I always make a point to go on a date with each boy at least once a month. It can be something small or big, just depends on the month and the timing.

Tonight is my little one's night. He can't wait! So far he wants to go ice skating, dinner, and a movie.

Yes! I love to go on dates with my kids. We go feed the ducks at the pond, or go hiking, sometimes just go out for icecream. It's a great time to just talk to them one on one. I learn so much about my kids just by being alone with them for an hour every once in awhile.

I have an only child, so we spend one-on-one time together quite often. After homework and dinner, we sometimes play games or when I'm tired and sleepy, we play "Name that Tune" with songs on his MP3 player. Many times that leads to talking, which is really good! Sometimes we just talk. I know that DH does this sort of thing, too, mostly when I'm not home from work yet. It's amazing to know what things he shares with his daddy and what he shares with me.

Well, not a formal date night or anything, but Stan and I go on "outings". We'll spend the afternoon together, maybe grab lunch. I'm a big tease (yeah, go figure, right?! LOL), and Stan loves when I get him going - oh, he'll protest, for sure ... but he's always grinning from ear to ear at the same time. Last night it was just one-on-one time getting through homework - midterms are all this week - and he loves that I twist things around and make games out of things. For example, did you know that Christopher Columbus had a cell phone?! When Stan said "sailed from", it sounded like cell phone, so that's what we ran with. Now, as for stuck balls ... yeah, not going there. He also, rhetorically, asked who the King of the French was .. and I quite simply replied, "Kung Fu Panda!". Well, heck, why not - right?!

When we go out, we usually end up at IKEA or perhaps Home Depot, just scouring for stuff. *sigh* What can I say, the kid loves home improvement stuff just like me

Karen and Lizzie - isn't that the best part learning new things about them or them about you?

Kat LOL! I imagine that's how my boys and I will be. So funny!

Allison, yes, that's the best part! About 10 years ago, a friend of mine with 3 boys (two were young teenagers back then) told me that she and the moms of her sons' friends would talk about how they would constantly have to drag info out of them - anything, didn't matter the subject - that that was just how most boys are. Come to find out, it's true! So, when we have these one-on-one times, I know he feels there's no pressure; it's just having a good time talking to Mom. He tends to be a lot more open and even asks questions. I don't get any info when I just start asking questions. LOL

I love dates with Joey! It's usually just us a couple days a week so I make sure to spend a lot of QT with him. We're always going to movies, or Michael's to pick up some crafting things for him and I to work on, or our favorite place in the world, Target. Oh and I can I forget Lego time! He' building while I organize.

Both my husband and I get quite a bit of one-on-one time with each of our kids, but we try to have two-on-one dates with them. We go in spurts, and we're not always successful, but it's really nice to have some time doing whatever they want, when we can really focus on them.

I guess when you only have 1 child, you do get to spend a lot of 1-1 time with them. My husband often has to work on holidays so I end up taking bostyn out to the zoo or someplace special for her. We also celebrate on Fridays by getting ice cream or to the yogurt store for a treat to celebrate a good week at school.

Since I'm alone with them all day - it's rare. Except if one of them goes to the store alone with me. When we go to visit our family Rich and I try to leave one of the girls with our family while we take the other one out for a bit, and then do the opposite another day.

Now that they're getting older and I'll be away from them all day I definitely want to start doing special dates. Even just some bowling or ice cream.