7 weird ways parents spend date night

Once you enter parenthood, your world changes — everything from daily habits to the dynamic of your relationship. Yes, you might still have regular date nights, but the way you spend those nights will change too.

Erin Parsons, a stay-at-home mother of two, shares what normally happens during the course of a typical date night with her husband. We reckon you will find these relatable. Or you will, eventually, if you haven't.

#1: We chow down our food quickly

Parents are just used to eating fast. Mealtime with kids are chaotic — they refuse to eat this, they demand to eat that and they make a right mess. More time is spent managing them than sitting down and properly enjoying your meal.

Even though we have one night free of this mayhem, we will still eat quickly during our date nights. Doesn't make for the most romantic sight seeing a couple gobble down their food in a restaurant, but what can we do...the habit have caught on.

#2: We chug the wine

I mean, when else can we do this, right? A few hours free of distraction and without the need to constantly keep an eye on the kids, you can bet we will be drinking! (Maybe little too much sometimes.)

#3: We take selfies and post them on Facebook

Maybe it's because when it's just the two of us and the beautiful night, we feel like we're a youthful couple on a romantic date once again. Or maybe it's because, for once, we are looking our best — the daddies have their hair styled, the mummies don their prettiest dress and jewellery. Either way, this moment needs to be documented and people need to see that we still have a cool life.

#4: We are done with dinner by 7pm

Dinner only started at 6pm but we have finished our meal (see #1: We chow down our food quickly) and had more than enough drinks (see #2: We chug the wine). But the night is still young! Will we waste this opportunity — the time that we have to ourselves that is hard to come by — by going home to kids who are not even asleep yet? Definitely not!

#5: We feel old

Alright, so we're not going home. Where shall we head to then? The town is too crowded, either of us might fall asleep if we were to watch a movie at this point, and "bar" is just synonymous with "loud". As we eliminate each option, we realise that...oh me, oh my! We are getting too...old for a lot of things.

#6: We making random purchases

So we end up at the grocery store we go and a random shopping spree ensue. Thankfully the kids aren't around to witness our reckless spending. How did we end up with this hideous apron? Goodness knows, everything looks prettier with enough alcohol in your system.

#7: We get home before 10pm and sleep

Sometimes, it's not that we already feel tired by 10pm. But when we think of the next morning, and how it's another day of dealing with our beloved little ones (they definitely will be up early) and their frenzy, we think it's better that we hit the hay now to reserve some energy for tomorrow.

But sometimes, not even going to lie, we do already feel tired even though it is not evem quite near midnight yet. We admit defeat. Remember point "#5: We feel old"?