The Ultimate Guide to a Low-Key Valentine’s Day for New Parents
As new parents navigating the beautiful chaos of parenthood, finding time for romance can be a challenge.
With sleepless nights, diaper changes, mom burnout, and the constant demands of a newborn, the idea of an extravagant Valentine’s Day celebration may seem overwhelming. However, this doesn’t mean you have to let the day go by unnoticed. After all, you are still husband and wife, or partners, and the love that brought you to this point deserves to be celebrated. The ideal celebration can be a low-key Valentine’s Day for new parents.
In this blog post, I will explore some tips for having a low-key Valentine’s Day for new parents, and give ideas for how to celebrate at home or elsewhere.
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Tips for a low-key Valentine’s Day for new parents
1. Block off time.
Schedule time on your calendar to be together. It may feel impersonal to have to block off time with your spouse, but as new parents, it’s very easy to let quality time with your spouse get lost in the shuffle. There’s so many things to do and remember so you really have to make a conscious effort to spend quality time with your spouse. It doesn’t have to be extravagant – even just fifteen minutes at home is better than nothing.
2. Communicate during the day.
Keep in touch throughout the day. Chat or text about the plans you have later or about excited you are to spend some quality time together. Communicating can help build up your energy for your date when the daily grind is exhausting you.
3. Manage expectations.
Control your expectations about Valentine’s Day. Communicate with each other about what you’d like to do. Don’t expect your spouse to read your mind. Make sure you’re on the same page about whether or not you are exchanging gifts. Also, things may not go as planned when a baby is involved. I’ve had high hopes about many things and then felt let down when they didn’t go as planned. Someone may get sick, you may be up all night the night before, so try not to put too much pressure on yourselves to have the perfect Valentine’s date. Just know that any kind of quality time you get together is special.
Ideas for a low-key Valentine’s Day for new parents at home
It definitely understandable that with a new baby at home you may not want to leave the house for a Valentine’s date. However, that doesn’t mean that you still can’t celebrate. There’s plenty of date night ideas for parents at home to enjoy either while the baby is asleep or while someone else is watching the baby.
Cook or order your favorite meal.
You can have a low-key date Valentine’s Day for new parents at home by ordering from your favorite restaurant or cooking your favorite meal. You can even try a Date Night Cookbook with some easy recipes to cook together.
Give a gift your spouse will love.
If you and your spouse are exchanging gifts for Valentine’s Day, spend the time to find a gift your spouse would really enjoy. I know buying gifts can feel like another item on the to-do list, but set aside the time to find something special, such as for a hobby or theme that they enjoy. If your husband is anything like mine, I’m sure he would love something related to Star Wars!
Watch your favorite movie and snack.
Another fun low-key date night for parents could be putting on some comfy clothes, streaming your favorite movie, and munching on some yummy snacks. Craving some popcorn? Try a Movie Night popcorn set.
Have a scavenger hunt at home.
Set up a scavenger hunt for an adventurous night at home. You can even use treasure hunt scratch-off cards for your clues.
Set up a relaxing evening.
If you want a more romantic feel, work together to set up a relaxing evening at home. You can put on some calming music, light a scented candle, and give each other massages.
Have a game night.
For a more competitive date night, have a game night. The Couples Game and The Ultimate Game for Couples can get you chatting on topics that you haven’t had much time to talk about since becoming parents. It feels so refreshing when my husband and I are able to have adult conversations.
Design and share love coupons.
Design love coupons together that you can use for future dates. Some ideas to include are an adventure day, breakfast in bed, movie night, or a serenade. You can also design them separately and share them on Valentine’s Day. It will be fun to see what love ideas you each come up with. I love getting love coupons, I just have to remember to redeem them!
Have an indoor picnic.
Grab a blanket, picnic basket, and some sandwiches and set up an indoor picnic. You can put up a cozy tent for an even more relaxing and romantic atmosphere.
Paint together.
If you’re looking for a creative activity, paint together. Get some painting supplies and paint whatever comes to mind, or look for a website that offers step-by-step instructions.
Take an online class.
Sign up for an online class in a topic you both enjoy such as cooking, art, wine tasting, mixology, etc. and take it from the comfort of your home.
Give up electronics.
Commit to giving up electronics for a period of time on Valentine’s Day. Turn off your phone, the TV, etc. and focus on meaningful conversation.
Make future plans.
Valentine’s Day is a great time to chat about future plans such as vacations, family outings, and future date nights. Brainstorm and do some scheduling so you have lots of fun events to look forward to.
Ideas for a low-key Valentine’s Day for new parents away from home
If you want to get out of the house for Valentine’s Day there’s plenty of activities you can do with or without your baby if you’re lucky enough to get a babysitter!
Take a family photo.
Find a scenic location and take some family photos for Valentine’s Day. You can book a photographer or just ask a friend or family member to join you to take some photos. You’ll come away with beautiful photos to display.
Go for a walk.
Another low-key Valentine’s Day for new parents can be going for a walk, or if you want to be more active, a hike. Walking allows you to chat and focus on each other.
Play in the snow.
If you happen to have snow on the ground, play in the snow! Build a snowman together, have a snowball fight, or make some snow angels. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of laughs and you can enjoy some hot cocoa when you come inside.
Go on a factory tour.
Another fun low-key Valentine’s Day for new parents can be a factory tour. Head to a local brewery, winery, ice cream manufacturer, etc. and enjoy some tastings.
Go out for lunch.
Lunch can be a much easier meal for a Valentine’s Day date when you’re new parents. I always hate to go out for a few hours and then have to deal with bedtime as soon as I get home. Lunch is much easier!
Go to a coffee shop.
Another low-key Valentine’s Day for new parents is going to a coffee shop. You can order a fancy coffee drink and finish it while it’s still hot. It’s so hard to enjoy a hot cup of coffee at home as new parents.
Go on a scenic drive.
Head out on a scenic drive and put on some good music. A drive alone with my husband is so much more relaxing than having the kids in the back seat crying or asking if we’re there yet!
Take a yoga class together.
Practice some mindfulness and take a yoga class together. You can work out and relax at the same time. What new parent wouldn’t enjoy that?
Watch sunrise or sunset.
Another low-key Valentine’s Day for new parents is heading to a scenic overlook to watch sunrise or sunset. Enjoy some peace and quiet and beautiful scenery.
Be spontaneous.
Leave the house with no plans! You can take turns suggesting places to go. As new parents you’re on such a tight schedule so it can be so enjoyable to not have a schedule when you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day.
Go away overnight.
Going away overnight may not sound low-key, but having a change of scenery, relaxing with room service, bonding over funny parenting quotes, and actually getting some sleep, may be the perfect Valentine’s Day to rejuvenate you. I love getting an overnight break from parenting. I come home with a full cup, nice and refreshed.
Recreate your first date.
If it’s possible, recreate your first date. You can celebrate where your relationship first began, and see how far you’ve come. I’m sure your first date feels like ages ago so it can be fun to revisit those memories.
Love doesn’t need grand gestures to be celebrated.
In the midst of diapers and late-night feedings, taking a moment to connect with your partner can be such a rewarding experience. Whether it’s a cozy dinner at home, a heartfelt exchange of love coupons, or simply enjoying a quiet evening together, the essence of Valentine’s Day lies in the connection you share.
This is the beginning of many more Valentine’s Days to come as a growing family. Embrace the simplicity, cherish the small moments, and let the love that brought you together continue to flourish. So, here’s to love that grows amidst the chaos, to the joy found in the little things, and to many more low-key but special Valentine’s Days for you and your growing family.
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