OK, the title of this post is a little misleading. Of course, everyone knows that there are plenty of ways to rekindle romance when you’re on a vacation. Also of course . . . if you do want to rekindle romance, it might be nice to not have to take the kids along! Or at least, have somewhere to leave them.
But what do you do when you’re stuck at home in a time like this pandemic we’re all living through, and you’re having intimacy issues with your partner? There’s simply nowhere to go, and nothing to do. Hotels are closed. Restaurants are closed. Beaches are (mostly, still) closed as of the time of this writing. And if things aren’t closed, it’s highly likely that no one wants to go there.
I’ve talked with many friends and they have all indicated that they feel the same way: Even if restaurants and bars are open, it’s “too soon” to start hanging out again. Yes, many spots are open for takeout. One great thing is that many restaurants are starting to offer meal “kits,” like the recent options for Mother’s Day, where many restaurants began offering all of the ingredients for making a delicious brunch at home. Other restaurants are now gearing up for “date night” takeout kits, or even family summer barbecue meals that you cook yourself from ingredients they source for you.
That is an example of one of the ways that a dedicated couple who are stuck at home during this pandemic can do something sweet and romantic for the other. One could order a “date night” kit, open a bottle of wine, put on some music, and cook together. Or one person cooks while the other takes a luscious bath, and emerges to a stunning home-cooked meal.
Another thing you could do is put on a travel documentary at home and watch it together, imagining that you are someplace special. Maybe it’s a downloadable video to stream from your local public library that takes you through a walking tour of the streets of London, where you went on your honeymoon. Or, you could simply put on a stream of beach waves and pretend that you’re laying on the sand on that golden private beach you found on your 5-year anniversary.
Enlist your family’s or friend’s help. If your relationship is in trouble but you’re sheltering at home with no place to go, perhaps there is a friend who would take your kids out for a proper socially distanced hike or walk through the park, while you spent an hour with your partner. Perhaps you have a close relative who is also distancing, but is a “safe” person to your family, perhaps because you have agreed to socially distance together only. If that family member or friend could take the kids for one night, you could do any of these strategies, to rekindle romance with a travel theme, even if you can’t actually travel.
Or why not try all of these strategies? I can’t imagine anyone not liking this list of activities for a night: Steamy bath, delicious homecooked dinner, travel video, alone time. Try it!