I’m one of 4 children, there were 2 boys and then 2 girls. I’m “3rd” in line. When I was a little girl, my mother and father used to take each one of us on what they used to call, “special nights.” I used to countdown for my turn. It was a special night with just my mom and dad and I got to choose what we did. My parents took us to dinner and then to something fun… a show, a movie, a concert, something that was fun, entertaining and special.

Now being a mom of 4 boys myself, I have started the “special night” tradition with my sons. Actually, I have been calling them “date days.” Working from home, and not having true set hours, it’s very easy to “lose” myself in my work. But I can’t allow my work to get in the way of my time with my sons… and sometimes I feel like it does. So this week I started something that I plan to continue once a month with each of my sons.

I had a date day with my oldest sons (they refused to be separated) this past week. I did it the same way my mom and dad did it with me… they got to choose a place to eat and decide what to do. Of course… they wanted cheeseburgers and indoor mini-golf! We laughed. We joked. We had fun. We were silly. And we were together. That was the most important… we were together. It was a special moment in time because it’s a time in their life that I hope they remember and continue to want to do. I still remember all the “special nights” with my parents and I am excited to do the same with my own children.

I think the best part of our date day was when we got home and my son Alexander asked me, “Mommy, when can we go on a date again?

It was the cutest, most precious moment of all.

Do you try and make special time with each of your children? How do you do it?