ML Interest Tag: significant-other

How to Enjoy This Valentine’s Day As a New Mother

By Rachael Sablotsky Kish

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and for many breastfeeding mothers—or new moms in general—that means wondering how to celebrate the most romantic day of the year. Should we hire a babysitter or just bring the baby to dinner with us? What should I wear (especially if I’m feeling a little less than stylish these days)? Having just delivered my third child (conveniently right before Valentine’s Day), I’ve learned a few things along the way about balancing a breastfeeding regimen while still finding time to spend with my partner. Here are a few of my sanity-saving tips for all you nursing (and soon-to-be nursing) mothers out there.

Try to Do This:

Embrace the Little Things to Keep the Spark
Life is hectic with a breastfeeding newborn and there’s just no way around it. You are often exhausted from feeding a hungry baby day and night, which can be a real romance killer. Instead of trying to recreate a Valentine’s Day reminiscent of the times you spent together before you started a family, rely on small gestures to display affection. Recreate your first wedding dance as a married couple in the comfort of your living room. Order take out from a restaurant you’ve been dying to try out. Feast on premium chocolates while you luxuriate in your comfiest robe and slippers. Whatever simple things bring you and your spouse joy, do them!

Dinner and a Movie… at Home
Babysitters are hard to come by on Valentine’s Day and are often booked weeks in advance. You may also be completely worn out from keeping up with your breastfeeding schedule along with the day-to-day tasks of running a household, so I find it’s best not to force a Valentine’s Day “occasion.” Cook dinner with your spouse, light some candles, fire up Netflix, and have a romantic evening for two on the couch.

Go with the Flow
There is nothing nursing moms understand more than to expect the unexpected. Even the best-laid preparations can be thrown into a tailspin with a newborn calling the shots, so be ready to go with the flow. Maybe your baby is especially fussy on Valentine’s Day, or a cold strikes during the most inopportune of times. Be ready to laugh off any roadblocks and know that you and your spouse can tackle anything together, including a non-traditional Valentine’s Day celebration.

Try Not to Do This:

Talk About the Kids
This may seem counterintuitive, as your whole life essentially revolves around their daily needs, but the Breastfeeding Resource Center recommends making your best effort to avoid talking about your breastfeeding newborn during your couples Valentine’s Day. Instead, take the time to concentrate on each other as it will give you both a mental break and allow you to reconnect as a couple before you started your family. As a breastfeeding mother, you deserve a night off and your significant other can agree!

Pressure Yourself to Celebrate on Valentine’s Day Itself
With reservations booked weeks in advance, I felt like I was forcing myself to celebrate on Valentine’s Day and felt like more than pressure than I needed. So, I came up with a solution: DON’T! My husband and I often set the occasion to the night after Valentine’s Day to avoid crowds and eliminate some stress out of the holiday.

It’s important to remember that Valentine’s Day doesn’t center around writing a sentimental card, buying flowers and digging into a box of chocolates. Celebrating unconditional love with your significant other, and the family it has grown into, is what the day is really about. So, treat yourself this holiday and take time with your one and only. You’ve earned it!

This post originally appeared on Imalac.
Rachael Sablotsky Kish
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Rachael Sablotsky Kish is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Imalac, a med-tech company which created Nurture, a hands-free breast massage system for nursing mothers that uses an attachable massage component to replicate hands-on pumping. Kish is a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), educating and training women on breastfeeding.

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5 Ways to Make Your New Year’s Health Goals Stick All Winter Long

By Jennifer O'Shea

Winter is a hard time to stay fit for anyone. New Year’s resolutions usually last until February and then motivation runs out. Not only is it cold out and gets dark early, but we are wearing layers of clothing and have no idea what our summer bod looks like. The summer is creeping up on us slowly and we need to be prepared. If this is something that stresses you out every year, then something needs to change.

When it gets cold out and dark out early, it makes it difficult for many people to find the motivation to get out and exercise. Here are a few quick and easy tips to help you start the journey to maintaining your health all year round.

Get Outside & Walk

Walking is an incredibly healthy habit to pick up. Yes, it is winter and yes, it is cold out, but there are tons of other places you can go walking. Don’t forget: not every winter day is cold! Getting outside for fresh air is a great way to stay healthy too. But if the cold weather is not for you, then finding indoor tracks, going to the mall or walking up and down your stairs.

Schedule In Time for Working Out 

Making time for fitness is really hard when sunshine is limited all day long. In the winter, start scheduling in times and days that you can go to a fitness class or work out at the gym to help you to actually make it there. When you are relying on yourself to just decide to go, other things usually get in the way. Plan a time and stick to it.

Create a Realistic Health Plan

Create a health plan for yourself or your family that is realistic. Many times we start diets and try to get healthy only to realize how much money and effort it takes. Find one that works best for you and your family to get everyone on board with staying healthy. Creating meal plans for each week and planning out dinner time meals to avoid any unhealthy eating habits can help you stay on track.

Grab a Partner & Get Working

Working out with a partner is always more fun than by yourself. If you have a family member, significant other, child or friend that is willing to dedicate time like you are to maintaining your health this winter, they are the best partner for you! Make sure this partner won’t bail on you either—as that will likely cause you to stop as well.

Commit to Getting Off the Couch

In the winter, this is a hard thing to beat. Wintertime feels like the best time to binge-watch every season of your favorite shows. However, when you are sitting a good majority of the time, it takes away from the work that you have done throughout the rest of the week. Try cutting your sitting time. For example, instead of sitting at work, try standing and walking around. Or if you are binge-watching a show, turn it off and get everyone up and moving.

Even though the puffy coats and winter clothes are still in apart of daily life, bathing suit season is right around the corner. Take these steps and you will feel more comfortable when it gets closer to the summer. Maintaining your fitness all year round is great for your body.

Jennifer is the owner of a motherhood blogging community for busy moms  andmilitary spouses, Teach.Workout.Love. Along with blogging and freelance writing, she's a mom, army wife and full-time teacher. Jennifer lives in Washington and was born and raised in New York City. She loves traveling, yoga, the beach, reading and coffee. 

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4 Things Every Parent Should Do Before Hitting the Road with Kids

By Zara Lewis

When a family decides to gas up the tank and head out on an adventure, you know that some serious planning and preparation is going to take place. After all, it’s one thing to leave the kids with the grandparents and take your significant other on a chill vacation somewhere far away, but taking your kids is a completely different challenge few parents manage to handle successfully.

No matter how stressful and resource-consuming it may be, though, traveling with kids is extremely important for the entire family, as it allows you to bond but also instill a sense of wonder and intellectual curiosity in your young ones. With that in mind, here are the four things you need to consider in order to organize the best family road trip you ever had.

Assess the condition of your car.

First things first, determining the roadworthiness of your vehicle should be the first thing on your to-do list. You can’t embark on your grand adventure if you’re not sure if your car will be able to handle a lengthy cross-country ride. After all, just imagine getting stranded in the middle of nowhere with a couple of fidgety kids growing increasingly restless in the back seat.

This is not a scenario you want to be in. To prevent this, make sure you:

  • Check the tires. Assess the tire pressure and change your tires according to the season. Rotate if needed.
  • Check the braking system. Brakes, they are important, make sure they cannot give out.
  • Pop the hood and assess the state of the engine. This will require a professional approach, so have a mechanic help you out.
  • Check the fluids. These are oil, transmission fluid, radiator fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, air conditioning coolant and washer fluid.
  • Inspect the battery. Make sure it’s charged.
  • Scrutinize every part of the windshield. Don’t tackle the road if it has chips, cracks or worse, holes.

Ask yourself: do you have enough space?

Comfort is another crucial factor that will determine the success of a family road trip. Remember, you’ll have kids in the back, and kids tend to respond badly to cramped quarters. Not only that, but you can bet that your kids are going to start nagging you at some point if they are not comfortable and warm. You can prevent this by determining the level of comfort your car can offer on extended road trips.

If the score is “not so much”, consider using a different vehicle. Renting a capacious vehicle through kid-friendly companies is a sound way of ensuring a comfortable journey, so consider affordable options such as Avis car rental and the likes in order to find reliable vehicles without busting the bank. As a general rule of thumb, any SUV class would work better than a hatchback or a sedan, as SUVs provide plenty of flexibility when it comes to seating and storage.

Make a family-oriented itinerary.

The places you and your better half want to visit might not rank high on your kids’ list of favorite road trip destinations, so there is a need to include your kids in the planning phase and make a compromise. In fact, better make the majority of the locations kid-friendly if you want to have a peaceful road trip.

Before you start marking the points of interest on the map, decide on the region or state(s) you’re going to visit. Kids are not that great at putting distances into perspective, so it will be up to you to limit their choices to the things you can manage in a specified timeframe. Research the area and give them a choice of destinations ranging from national parks, exciting towns and cities, and specific destinations such as theme parks.

Pacify the kids with engaging content.

One of the most important parts of the planning phase is figuring out how to keep the kids calm and satisfied during those long hours on the road. This is another area where modern cars such as SUVs come in handy, as they usually come with at least one TV screen that will allow you to play movies and videos in general.

Be sure to give your kids plenty of choices. Stock the USB drive with their favorite cartoons and shows and plenty of road trip music. Give them a chance to keep their hands busy as well, so don’t forget their coloring books and toys. When they finally get sleepy, you want to have their favorite blankets and pillows at the ready!

There is no denying that traveling with kids is not inherently easy, but the good thing is that you can make the process as smooth and enjoyable as possible if you know how to prep your car organize your itinerary, and keep your kids busy. Consider these essential challenges, and use the tried-and-tested solutions to organize yourself a road trip of a lifetime.

Zara is a regular contributor at The Wellness Insider, a traveler and a mother of two. Originally from Chicago, she found her place in the sun in Perth, Australia. She is passionate about spreading the word about fantastic places to visit and creating a better world for the generations to come.

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The 5 Most Important Things Every New Mom Should Know

By Joan Lowell

Women need to build each other up and share some love along this journey called motherhood. When a woman becomes a mom, she needs support even more than she did the day before. Today’s society lends itself to self-judging and self-loathing. Moms (and dads) need to be shown some love in the form of positive encouragement. If you find yourself in a support role to a young or new mom, here are some real things you can say or suggest to help.

You’re Doing a Great Job (Even If You Feel Like You Aren’t)

Yeah, they actually do make books you might call a manual for the job. In this case, experience really is the best teacher. Like anything worth the struggle, parenthood is work. Welcome to the learning curve!

It May Not Get Easier, But You’ll Get Better

Challenges will change, but parenthood will always have its moments. Every stage holds joy and pain. Once you get your feet wet, you’ll get the hang of things. You may never get it perfect, but as long as you keep trying, you’ll improve, or at least adjust.

Accept Help from Others

(I should probably listen to this one more myself!) You are only one woman, yes you! You don’t need to be SuperMom or WonderWoman; perfection is not required and highly unlikely to be achieved. Let others (your spouse or significant other, babysitter, nanny, in-laws, neighbors) help. If help is available or offered, take it! Don’t feel guilty – you can do the rest of the work.

When in Doubt, Call Someone

Good parents try to learn new stuff when needed. Great parents trust their instincts, listen to their guts when it comes to their kids. You can’t know it all, so when you’re not sure about something, don’t hesitate to call the pediatrician or other experts. Pediatricians are usually more knowledgeable than your mom, sister or best friend who has a kid.

Give Yourself a Break

You deserve it! Allow yourself some down time, or a small pity party, if that’s what you need. Don’t forget to nurture yourself, eat, drink and rest. Remember to take time with your partner to have a night or afternoon away from parenthood. Avoid burnout. Make every effort to set aside time each week for yourself to rejuvenate and recharge your battery.

You could also offer to cook a meal for her, wash a load of laundry, or do the dishes piled down the countertop. Moms, especially new moms, will love and appreciate the help. What you should not do is offer unwanted advice or tell all the horror stories of your experience as a mother. New moms might hesitate to let you babysit, but you could offer words of wisdom and support or just some simple encouragement. A kind word can uplift a new mom full of questions and doubt.

Featured Photo Courtesy: shutterstock via pixaby

Go Au Pair representative, cultural childcare advocate, Mom to six great kids, I earned my BS at RI College and MEd at Providence College. My hats: educator, tutor and writer of local blog for Go Au Pair families and Au Pairs. Baking, gardening, reading and relaxing on the porch are hobbies.

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10 Things All Couples Should Do Every Month

by Kipp Jarecke-Cheng

Being a parent is one of life’s most (if not the most) rewarding endeavors. But, between work and family, the juggle is real, and parenting couples sometimes forget to put in the time and effort to ensure that our relationships are as healthy, happy, and strong as our kids. Whether you and your spouse are in a rut or you simply need a reminder of how and why you became parents in the first place (hint: it’s because you really like each other), check out 10 simple things that you and your partner can do together to stoke the fire of your eternal flame.

photo: Tessa Duquette

1. Schedule time to sweat together.
Going out for dinner and a movie is great, but few activities will get your adrenaline pumping like a weekly exercise date with your spouse. Whether it’s doing hot yoga or hitting weights at the gym, exercising together releases feel-good endorphins and will help you and your partner reconnect with each other’s bodies. There are plenty of benefits to working out with your significant other, not the least of which is an improved sex life.

photo: Jeremy Brisiel

2. Embrace each other’s individuality.
Opposites may attract, but your partner’s adorable quirks likely have become less adorable after a few years and a couple of kids. While studies have shown that couples who are extreme opposites rarely last, respecting and supporting each other’s differences as well as celebrating the ways that you and your spouse complement one another can lead to greater happiness together. Instead of trying to change your partner, try finding common ground and common interests. Can anyone say, Couples Karaoke Night?

photo: Christine Prentice-Popken

3. Go outside of your comfort zone and take the plunge together.
Kids thrive on routine, but for grownups, living a routine life can easily cause us to slip into a rut. Parents can get back their couple’s groove by trying something new together. Research has shown that couples who picked new and exciting activities to do together for 90 minutes a week reported greater satisfaction in their relationships compared to couples that continued doing the same-old, tried-and-true, pleasant-but-routine dates like going to the movies. For some couples, the Polar Bear Plunge is a fun—if extreme—activity to do together.

photo: Tawny Kay

4. Give and receive hugs, earnestly and often.
We already know that our kids give the best hugs, but we often forget that our significant other is just as huggable and needs physical affection as well. Hugs are a highly underrated relationship panacea. In fact, studies have shown that hug therapy is extremely effective at relieving sickness, disease, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and stress. Set a goal to hug each other at least eight times a day.

photo: Troy Starwalt

5. Keep each other laughing.
Among the keys to a successful partnership is a shared sense of humor and the ability to make each other laugh. In an analysis of nearly 40 studies that followed 15,000 respondents over a 30-year period, researchers determined that humor played an essential role in sustaining a healthy long-term relationship. The study concluded that finding a partner with a sense of humor is less important than finding a partner with a shared sense of humor.

photo: Kristen Kezele

6. Keep calm and rock on.
Just because you’re a parent doesn’t mean that you can’t still rock-and-roll. A report from Johns Hopkins University found that music can be medicine for your mind and spirit, providing benefits that range from memory improvement to stress relief. Going to see a live performance of your favorite band has the dual perks of spending quality time with your spouse and proving to your kids that you can still bang your head like when you were younger.

photo: Marcella Williams

7. Read to and with each other.
Nothing soothes the soul like tucking into a good book, except maybe curling up next to your partner and reading together. Science has shown that the act of reading together brings couples closer, turning an ordinarily solitary activity into a shared one. Plus, there’s no denying that reading something other than Goodnight, Moon is a much-needed reprieve from parenting duties.

photo: Scott Payton

8. Learn to walk away.
If extreme sports or rock concerts aren’t your thing, taking a regular evening stroll with your significant other is a great way to reconnect after a hectic day filled with work and kids. There are myriad relationship benefits to the simple act of walking, from relieving stress to getting some fresh air together. Holding hands is an added bonus.

photo: Gwydion Suilebhan

9. Don’t be afraid to trip up.
Taking a trip together sans kids is a terrific way to spend some quality time with your spouse. Whether it’s taking a road trip and blasting your favorite tunes in the car or riding on a train to a new city, exploring new destinations together is an easy way to get away from it all (especially away from your kids, if just for a little while).

photo: Kipp Jarecke-Cheng

10. Follow your flashbacks.
Find a photo from one of your first dates, then recreate it. Your kids will have a good laugh at how young you looked back in the day, and you and your spouse can commiserate about how you used to have so much more hair.

What are your best #couplegoals tips? Tell us in the comments below!

—Kipp Jarecke-Cheng

 

RELATED STORIES:

We’re Parents & Partners: How to Balance Both Roles at Once

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How My Husband and I Show Our Love

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10 Things All Couples Should Do Every Month

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These 10 Locally Based Apps Make Parenting EASIER

by Erin Feher

It’s no secret that her in the Bay Area we have an app for everything. And because so many of these app creators are in our own back yards, we reap the benefit of getting to try them first. We’ve rounded up 10 game changing apps that were started right here in the Bay that make family life oh, so much easier. Scroll down for the list.

1. LittleFund
It’s never too early to start planning for your child’s financial future, from teaching the value of saving for a coveted toy to socking some dough away for college. But the options are dizzying and can be overwhelming. Littlefund is an incredibly simple way to save, track and even receive monetary gifts for your child. They just launched with a few simple tools to get started saving, and will be adding 529 investment opportunities next.

2. Kango
Like Lyft for kids but with trusted, verified drivers who have passed through Kango’s rigorous screening process. Besides getting your goobers to soccer practice on time, Kango also offer one-click sitters for those hours in between, and can of course roll up with carseats and booster seats at the ready.

3. GoodEggs
Because no family can have enough fresh fruits and veggies. And since this company is a home town hero, every time they launch a new service, we get to try it first! They’ve recently hit the family sweet spot by launching family meal kits and even pre packaged kids’ lunches, made with all the top notch ingredients you have come to expect from Good Eggs. No more stuffing brown bags for you!

4. Trove
Parents are experts in STUFF. From strollers to Rock n’ Plays to baby bathtubs, we have it all, and it all takes up space. And while it’s tempting to toss all that gargantuan gear as soon as baby grows out of it, many of us keep it around while we waffle about #2 (or #3 or 4). Enter Trove. The new storage service will send professional movers to come pick up your stuff, pack it, digitally catalogue it and store it. When you need it back, just use the app to request exactly what you need, and viola, it’s back at your doorstep, all for a surprisingly reasonable price. See ya later, Jumperoo.

5. Instacart
Because going shopping is so last decade. Embrace the future and let your food come to you. Instacart will do your shopping at dozens of your favorite stores, from Whole Foods to Safeway to Costco to Target, and deliver it right to you. You can even clip digital coupons to get all the deals you would browsing the aisles IRL.

6. Cozi
If syncing your calendar with your significant other gives your little shivers of joy, Cozi will make you scream with excitement. It’s the ultimate shared family organizer that keeps schedules, shopping lists, chore wheels, recipes and even a family journal complete with photo upload options, all in one, streamlined sharable space.

7. Munchery
We’ve hit peak meal delivery, with a new company vying to deliver you dinner seemingly each day. But not all on-demand dinners are created equal. We love Muchery because there are plenty of healthy options, kids’ meals, they deliver on weekends, they sell and accept gift cards, and well, they’ve stood the test of time. (Some of our other favorite services shuttered after just a few weeks).

8. Dr On Demand
Schedule an instant video visit from a top practitioner. From belly aches to scrapes to weird rashes, these doctors can often diagnose or at least offer peace of mind right from your smart phone. Because waiting rooms are the worst when you have a sick kid.

9. Toy Cycle
Toy-Cycle works within a user’s local community (currently Beta testing in Oakland) and allows families to give, get, or exchange free used games and toys. When a user is ready to pass something on their child has outgrown (or has simply tired of), they post the offer online to their local group. Arrangements are made to pick up or exchange which should be easy given the fact the groups will remain relatively small, geographically speaking. So, no shipping, no packaging, no payments—sounds sustainable to us!

10. UrbanSitter
What do we need? A babysitter! When do we need it? NOW! Urbansitter answers the call with verified, trustworthy sitters at a moment’s notice. No more begging the neighbor’s teenage daughter to do diaper duty for the night.

What’s your favorite go-to local app? Tell us in a comment below. 

—Erin Feher

featured photo: William Iven via Unsplash

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A Letter To My Soon-to-Be Husband, The Step-Father of My Son

By Andrea Avery

I’m sitting here with my maid of honor as we are going over final details. My dress is pristine and my groom is editing his vows for the third time in a week. And as I look at the man of my dreams, the one who simply bought me a cup of coffee on a random Tuesday over a year ago, I realize how much he has helped me.

He has helped me in not only becoming a better person and a better significant other, but also a better mother. He is my son’s stepfather, but only in title. He is the man who has shown my son more love and kindness than his own father does sometimes. He shows my son that it’s okay to like both the color pink and fishing. To wear nail polish (should he choose to when he’s old enough to make that decision) and to like race cars. To be both kind to ladies but to never treat them as incompetent or less.

When I first became a mother I was overwhelmed and sad. But with the love and kindness my fiancé has shown me I have been able to appreciate and even love my roll as my son’s mother. My fiancé reminds me always how strong I am and how hard I have worked to be a mother.

And now, less than 24 hours from marriage, I do not think of myself becoming a wife only. I think of myself as forever teaming up with a man who chose to love my son as he chose to love me. I think of myself forever having someone at my side who loves me when I am depressed and not feeling like a good mom. And I think of myself as the luckiest woman alive.

I am a new mom who is just trying to navigate motherhood one baby smile at a time. Some days are really hard since I have depression, anxiety, and PTSD. And some days I want to sell my son to the zoo. But it's all worth it.

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75 Year Study Unlocks the Secret to Living a Happy Life

by Shahrzad Warkentin

photo: Iselin via Flickr

After decades of diligent research, a 75 year Harvard study that involved over 700 people and generations of researchers has finally found the answer to a fundamental question. What makes people’s lives fulfilling and happy? Despite the long road to reach it, the answer is very simple: love.

The Grant and Glueck study tracked two groups of men from 1939 to 2014: 456 poor men growing up in Boston’s inner city and 268 Harvard graduates. Over the years, the men studied have led all kinds of different lives, including lawyers, doctors, alcoholics, and even one very famous Harvard graduate, President John F. Kennedy. Those who are still alive are now in their 90s.

The study, which is ongoing and has evolved over the years to include the wives and children, has revealed many different findings, like the most important thing to do in order to age well is avoid smoking. The key thing that they discovered over the years, however, was that health and well-being were most influenced by relationships, especially the ones with spouses.

In a TED Talk on the subject, Dr. Robert Waldinger, the study’s current director said, “Those good relationships don’t have to be smooth all the time. Some of our octogenarian couples could bicker day in and day out. But as long as they felt that they could really count on the other when the going got tough, those arguments didn’t take a toll on their memories.”

In other words, cherish your significant other, but don’t sweat the small stuff. As long as you have a strong, loving relationship, the battles over who changed the baby last and whose turn it is to take out the trash are secondary when it comes to being happy.

Do you think love is the key to happiness? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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How to Have Grown Up Fun Despite a Little Third Wheel

by Erin Feher

Making time for your non-mom friends is just as important as squeezing in date night with your significant other. But if carting your kid off to the sitter just isn’t possible, there are plenty of ways to enjoy some grow-folks girl fun and conversation with the little one in tow. We have ideas for every (kid) age that will allow you to gab, get a drink or simply share some quality QT with your best gal pal while your small fry stays occupied.

 

0-3 months: Get Some Grub Together
This is the time for lunch dates. Schedule them around your baby’s snooze time (which hopefully, is most of the time these days). Once they are passed out in your carrier or stroller, let the leisurely lunch commence.

3-12 months: Walk and Talk
Your babe is not yet mobile, so take advantage of being able to take a brisk walk with them. Pop them in the carrier or stroller and set out on a scenic, blood-pumping walk with your bestie. The movement and changing scenery should keep them occupied while you chat.  We are even betting your little will take a little snooze.  

1-3 years: A Tot Safe Space
This is when the challenge of completing a sentence gets real. And playgrounds and wide open spaces still require you to keep a constant eye on your wobbly (and possibly dirt eating) toddler. We suggest setting up shop beside a safe and contained playspace such as a sandbox or water table. If there are other kids there to splash with, all the better. But at this exploratory stage, it may be worth convincing your pal to join you at an age-appropriate indoor playspace or kiddie museum.  

4-6 years: Creative Museum Encounters
At this age, your kids are becoming more like mini contemporaries, so take them somewhere they can engage with you and your friend. An art museum is a great place for a date. We suggest you bring a sketch book and let your little sit on the floor and get creative while you and your girl gab it up.

6 on up: Playgrounds
Sure, you may be sick of playgrounds after, say, 2,000 plus days of hanging out at one, but for your childless friend, a seat on a sunny, scenic bench with an iced coffee in hand will seem perfectly quaint. By six, you child should be trustworthy with all the swings, slides and ladders on their own, so you can focus on your friend. We suggest hitting up a new, splashy playground and even bringing your child’s friend along so they stay occupied. 

Do you have any ideas for girlfriend dates with your kiddo in tow? Let us know in the comments below! 

 

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Date Night: 3 Seattle Splurge Worthy Meals

by drealestercontributor

Welcome to our first weekly post from our friends at Seattle Magazine, which keeps readers on the pulse of restaurants, personalities, arts, entertainment and culture that reflect the tapestry of our dynamic landscape. We’ve teamed up for an exciting partnership to bring you a weekly dose of fantastic Date Night ideas throughout greater Seattle.

Babysitter, check. Hot new outfit, check. Some alone with your significant other, perfection. Now that you have your priorities in order it’s time to head out for a night on the town. Here are three quintessential culinary suggestions from our friends at Seattle Magazine for the best restaurants around Seattle that are worth the splurge.

$133
Cafe Juanita
Kirkland
TRUE VALUE: A sure thing, from impeccable service to subtly sensational pastas.
When you need a special occasion to occur without a hitch, Juanita is the place.
The room is comfortable, the conversation friendly, and the servicealways knowing but with a lovely West Coast ease. And Holly Smith’s modern Italian-Northwest cuisine provides one wave of delicious flavor after another.  …. read more

$330
Mistral Kitchen
Downtown
TRUE VALUE: This is as high art as cooking gets in this town. Bite after bite is an
epiphany. For the food obsessed, this is the best way to blow a paycheck—and
remain convinced that it was a wise investment.
Some consider the Chef’s Table dinner at Mistral Kitchen to be one of the last bastions of true fine dining in the city—every choreographed motion, from private, table side cocktail demonstrations by celebrated mixologist ….. read more

$156
Le Gourmand
Ballard
True value: Sit and be awed by one of Seattle’s master chefs, dazzling us as he has for years (and now in a newly glitzy dining room!). You may not be able to eat here often, but after one visit, you’ll wish you could. Many splurge-worthy restaurants are splashy and dazzling from the start. Not Le Gourmand, whose French-inspired dishes have roots firmly in the Northwest. In almost every way, this place whispers, from its nondescript brick façade to the humble, quiet nature of chef-owner  …. read more


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