Being a dad is one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. I am the parent of three incredible children (two girls and a boy). There is not a feeling in the world quite like when you see them smile and hear them laugh. To see each of your children develop, grow, and have similar expressions and reactions as you do to certain things is priceless. Knowing you are making a difference in your child’s life each and every day is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted; it is something that should be valued.
With that being said, parenting is also one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Raising three children (all at different stages) is not easy. I have learned to put others first more than ever before. While I am so thankful I get to do this, it is a change of mindset from when I was single and could do whatever I wanted… whenever I wanted.
Prioritizing Date Night
My time is no longer just my time. My time is my time… my wife’s time… and my kids’ time. The time my wife and I do have to ourselves is very minimal, normally just an hour or two each day.
For that reason, we have made date nights a priority for the six years we have been together. We value the importance of getting away for a few hours and reconnecting as a couple. Getting away, just the two of us, without any distractions, is essential for our marriage and our family. We made date nights a priority when we started dating; and, we have continued that trend now that we have three kids.
My favorite date night that my wife and I have gone on is dinner and a painting class. I tend to enjoy date nights where we get to do an activity as well as enjoy dinner together. The dinner portion of the date allows us to reconnect…just the two of us…without any distractions. The activity portion of the night allows us to get up…be active…and feel like a kid again together.
Booking the sitter is half the battle
Before using SitterTree, we mainly used two local sitters that were college students. They did a great job, but it was somewhat difficult at times to schedule a date where both us and the sitter was available. SitterTree has been amazing as it allows us to schedule a sitter close to when we are trying to have a date night. We know that our request for a sitter will go out to hundreds of qualified sitters and will allow us to go on a date night…even at the last minute.
Booking sitters with ease
SitterTree has been an extremely important component of our marriage and date nights. SitterTree has helped us to schedule a sitter on a weekly/monthly basis for our date nights. It is an amazing feeling to know that you have a top-notch babysitter scheduled days or weeks in advance of your date night. Booking a sitter online is extremely simple with SitterTree. We simply put in our requested date, hours, and a brief description of our children. In today’s day and age, almost anything can be bought online. For that reason, booking a sitter online has felt very normal and easy. Once the sitter is booked, my wife and I know we will be able to enjoy our date, focus on each other, and rest easy knowing our children are in good hands.
Putting Our Marriage First
SitterTree has helped us to make our marriage a priority, which has helped us to be better parents. Having a chance to have a date with my wife and reconnect with her…helps me to be more present and a better father when I get back home with the kids. Without SitterTree, it would be much more difficult to regularly have a date night. Thanks to SitterTree, I am able to refuel on our date night and be the best version of myself I can possibly be when I am with my children.
Need a date night? Visit sittertree.com to register your family. List my name, Ryan Coller, as your referral to receive $20 Sitter Bucks towards your first sitter!
A note about the author:
Ryan Coller works full time as Senior Consultant of Group Experiences for the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena. Since 2012, he has been married to his wonderful wife, Nicky. Ryan is dad to their kids Rowan, Grayson, and Angel. He loves sports, going on vacation with family, and, of course, having fun date nights with Nicky.