Distract the Kids to Get More Couple Time

I wrote this article for the May issue of Make it Better Magazine (right.) Check out their fabulous website at www.makeitbetter.net.

Remember how spontaneous sex used to be before you had children?

You didn’t have to work around bedtimes, worry about being interrupted, or schedule an appointment with your mate to connect. Most blissful of all, an intimate interlude didn’t come at the expense of a full night’s sleep.

Well, those carefree days are gone. For parents, orchestrating time alone takes ingenuity and planning. Here are some creative ideas to divert the kids and carve out a few precious minutes of couple time.

Daylight Savings Plan
Little kids need constant supervision; the only way to get more time alone is to put them to bed earlier. A resourceful friend of mine used this trick for years—she’d set all the clocks in her house ahead by an hour to get a jump on bedtime.

“Look Jimbo, the little hand is on the eight! Time to get those PJs on, buddy.”

To tire your tots out, have your husband run them around the park a few times after dinner while you shave your legs and spritz on perfume. Trust me, he’ll be happy to do it.

Reverse Psychology
Older kids are too savvy to be fooled by the clock trick. To get them to leave you alone, they need to think it’s their idea.

The “dirty job” technique is effective. Tell your kids you’re going off to do an unpleasant, lengthy chore. “Hey Libby, Dad and I are going to clean out the garage, wanna help?”

Of course she doesn’t. The mere idea of physical labor will act like a force field around the garage, giving you and your hubby some guaranteed privacy in a location that’s ripe for innovation. Tool belt anyone?

Or, try the “I’ll be Back” approach. Say your kids are playing video games in the basement. Stand at the top of the stairs and bellow “I’m coming down there in 10 minutes and then you are turning that thing off and doing your homework!”

They won’t come looking for you or your husband for hours.

A few stolen moments
Just a few minutes of couple time can inject a little spice and excitement into your relationship. Sneak into the pantry and make out, play gin rummy for a massage, or cue up a song from your past and dance around the laundry room like fools.

It doesn’t have to lead to anything. It just has to be fun, romantic, and all about the two of you.