ADVERTISEMENT

I recently learned you can enter to Win a Free Year of Child Care when you Register with Care.com and it was something I wanted to pass along to all of the readers with children here at ItMightBeLove. As a mom of three kids and the constant scramble for childcare, I can’t tell you how appealing that prize is!

One of the hardest things couples with kids struggle with is finding childcare for their children so they can spend some quality “adult” time with one another.  While we all love our children immensely, they can make it difficult for you and your partner to carry on a meaningful conversation, let alone have a romantic evening.

The problem is, we don’t put enough value on why we should get a babysitter when we need one. Do your partner and you dance together to the Imagination Movers or some other kids TV show song instead of the love songs you like? Is your idea of romance a picture you colored with crayons? A romantic game of patty-cake? While I think these are all great, it’s definitely a sign you need some true adult time also.

If you’re one of the many couples who are concerned about saving money and don’t think a date night is worth the cost or important: think about what else you might lose beyond a few dollars for going on a date.

Without date night, you and your partner may go weeks without talking about more than the usual “time to put the kids to bed” and “have you seen the baby’s cup” and “where you going tomorrow?” Without date night there’s no way for the two of you to connect emotionally or getting closer to each other. Without date night, you might actually end up drifting apart as you may come absorbed in other activities that make it difficult for you to grow as a couple.

Having a date night does not mean – and should not mean – that you get set up in a boring routine of “a movie and dinner”. Because while it will be fun if you do it once in awhile, you’ll find after awhile of doing it repeatedly over and over again without change or variety you may end up getting annoyed or bored with it.

A date night also doesn’t need to be expensive or traditional in any sense of the means. Today we were lucky enough for me and my husband to get away with the kids for a little while. Did we do anything wild and crazy? Well, we decided to go on a 40 minute road trip to a nearby used sporting goods store and sell some of our stuff that we didn’t have any use for.  Afterward, we stopped at a sandwich and coffee shop where we had a great lunch and we could actually talk to each other while eating. Is the is a “hot date”? Of course not. But my husband and I got to spend a whole four to five hours together to do nothing but just talk and hang out.

The prize they are giving away in the sweepstakes is pretty exciting – a whole year of childcare, which they are awarding in a cash equivalent of around $12,000. What could you and your partner do if you had a whole year of free childcare? Or $12,000?

If you want to enter, just click on the link below and register.

Win a Free Year of Child Care when you Register with Care.com!

The contest runs until October 9th, 2009 – Absolutely no purchase is necessary (though you might want to consider hiring a sitter if you don’t already have one!) – all you need to do is give them the usual basic contact info so if you win they can notify you of your prize! Be sure you also read the rules and regulations for the full details and ensure eligibility.

Note: ItMightBeLove is not responsible or associated with this contest – just wanted to pass on to my readers of a good opportunity for you date night!