Whatever you do, don't go to a restaurant to meet up.

We, too, long believed that to reconnect as a couple, you absolutely had to go out . Find a place to stay, book a restaurant, block off a date weeks in advance. With our young children, we desperately sought someone to look after them, convinced it was the only real solution.

In four years , it happened very few times. And each time, I was never 100% in the moment.

My mind stayed at home: Is everything alright? What if the baby wakes up? What if something happens?

The result: an expensive dinner, a broken conversation, inner tension… and the feeling of having missed what we came for.

We were sold the myth of the “romantic restaurant”. But when you are young parents, the reality is different : you are tired, you feel guilty, you look at the time, you remain hypervigilant.

It's not the place that creates the connection, it's the attention we give each other. And that can exist in your own home .

And then we stopped waiting for the right opportunity. No babysitter, no energy to go out, no desire to end up in front of Netflix again.

So we improvised: puzzle and pizza night, board game, cooking together, solving a murder escape game style , gourmet battleship, learning a dance via a tutorial.

It's not the activity that changes everything, it's the intention : putting down phones, lighting a candle, deciding that this moment matters.

True luxury when you're a parent isn't a gourmet restaurant. It's not rushing around, not watching the clock, not spending €90 on logistics. It's laughing, playing, still surprising each other. At home, we're often more relaxed, more present, more authentic.

And if you want zero mental load , I've created ready-to-use evening packs : you download, you print, and you choose from 7 activities depending on your mood and the time you have available. Fun, connection, without complicated planning. The perfect moment isn't at a restaurant. It's already at home. 🤍