Hey Dad,
Let me hit you with a dose of reality I learned the hard way: you can’t just coast on that “we’re married, we’re busy, she gets it” vibe forever. Eventually, “Let’s just grab takeout and fall asleep to Netflix” turns into your love language—and trust me, it’s not as romantic as it sounds.
Date night, my friend. It’s not just for young couples trying to figure out who pays the check. It’s for you. It’s for her. It’s for the glue that holds all the chaos together.
So what’s a real dad-friendly date night look like?
I’m not talking about overpriced oysters and forced eye contact over candlelight. I’m talking connection. Laughter. Stories. Maybe even a little harmless mischief.
Here are a few of my tested-and-approved options (and yes, one may involve a chainsaw… more on that in a second):
1. The $20 Thrift Store Challenge
Head to your local Goodwill. Each of you gets $10. You have 15 minutes to pick out something ridiculous for the other person to wear, cook with, or display in your home like it’s high art. Then go get burgers in public. Trust me, nothing bonds you like matching ugly vests and confused stares.
2. DIY Pizza & Playlist Night
Skip the reservations. Make your own pizza dough (or cheat and buy it). While it bakes, trade playlists—what songs defined you at 16? What music reminds you of each other? Bonus points if you slow dance in the kitchen while the cheese melts. Double bonus if the kids peek around the corner and gag.
3. The Memory Lane Drive
Put the kids with grandma. Take a drive to places that meant something when you first met. The park bench where you had that talk. The apartment where the faucet never stopped leaking. The diner where you split that one piece of pie and talked till 2am. Don’t just revisit—re-feel it.
4. The Power Tool Date
Now hear me out. One of the best dates my wife and I had was building a raised garden bed. There’s something romantic about measuring twice and cutting once together. It’s teamwork. It’s sawdust. It’s planting something and watching it grow. Kind of like a metaphor, but with tomatoes.
5. Sit Down & Dream
This one’s simple. Two chairs. One drink. No phones. Just talk. Not about bills or homework or who left the fridge open. Dream. Where do we want to be in five years? What do we still want to learn, build, see, try? (And yes, it’s okay if the answer is “Sleep. Uninterrupted sleep.”)
Bottom Line:
Date nights don’t have to be Pinterest-perfect. They just have to be intentional. Because someday the kids are out of the house, and it’s just the two of you and a Spotify playlist called “Soft Yacht Rock for Empty Nesters.” Better make sure you still know how to laugh together.
So go ahead. Put it on the calendar. Make it happen.
Because being a good dad starts with being a better partner.
– Radio Dad