My husband and I are still having date nights during the pandemic — here's how we're making it work

There's no excuse, not even a pandemic, for skipping date night, writes the author (shown with her husband).melissa.petro/Instagram

• Melissa Petro is a freelance writer who lives with her husband and two children in New York City.
• While the family has been quarantining at home, Petro and her husband have started having a weekly date night to prioritize more quality time together.
• Occasional date nights can enhance a couple's emotional connection and help rekindle intimacy, researchers say.
• Watch a movie, draw a candlelit bath, or create art together — the point is to do something enjoyable together, just the two of you.
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When my husband, Arran, first suggested we start having a weekly "date night," I assumed that was some sort of euphemism for sex. But no, he clarified almost immediately: "I don't mean sex. I think we ought to do something out of the ordinary at least once a week. You know, spend some quality time together as a couple."

To be honest, date night has never really been my thing, even before this decidedly unsexy coronavirus situation. When I'd get a text mid afternoon from Arran suggesting we go out for dinner that evening, I was typically full of excuses. On the rare occasion, I'd agree. I'd reluctantly throw whatever I'd planned to cook back in the fridge, wash my hair, and slap on a little makeup. After the sitter showed up, my husband and I would slip off to a restaurant for an hour or two. A few hundred dollars later, we'd come home, I'd peel my bra off and finally get to relax.

Sure, it was nice to spend a little time together as "Arran and Melissa" as opposed to "mommy and daddy." At the same time, it always felt, well, a little like work.

At the end of the day, when all I want to do is devour a pint of ice cream and zone out in front of 90 Day Fiancé, my husband wants us to turn off the TV, put away our phones, and connect.