Thank you Maxi-Cosi for sponsoring this post. Keep your little adventurers comfy, safe & stylish with the Maxi-Cosi Magellan™ Max 5-in-1 Convertible Car Seat!
Quality time is such an important part of nurturing relationships. Quality time is important with your spouse, it’s important with your friends, and, it’s important with your kids!
With four kids, it’s rare that Dominic and I get much one on one time – well, two on one time – with each of our kids, so, we’ve set a goal to scoot out on a special mom, dad, and kid date once a month. That works out to quarterly time just us and Jemma, just us and Max, just us and Reid, and, now that Eli is a walking, and jabbering one year old, just us and our big, little one!
With Eli, it almost feels like a mom and dad date night. He doesn’t talk nonstop like the big kids, is often soothed to sleep in the car, and, overall is our most chill baby. He’s such a joy to be with! Just the same, we want our little caboose to feel like he gets special time with us too. So, he’s definitely in the date rotation.
On our kid-focused dates we aim to do something normal and regular, an everyday adventure. The point isn’t an elaborate or expensive date, it’s that we are spending quality time together. That we’re holding hands, visiting, and not juggling the needs of other siblings.
Here are some of our favorite ways to date our kids! I’d love to hear some of your ideas too so be sure to chime in!
Go on a walk or hike
Whether we need sunscreen or rain jackets, it’s always our first choice to drive to a new outdoor location and explore a pretty path or a new trail. Being outside with our kids is the perfect setting for great conversations.
Dinner at a new restaurant
Want to get out of the chicken nugget rut? Take your child to a new restaurant and help them explore the adult menu! Let them choose two meals that pique their interest – one for mom and one for dad and then ask for an extra plate so they can share both!
Coffee + a drive
This one is particular to Eli because he loves riding in his car seat. So, sometimes we’ll hit a drive-thru and wind up into the mountains for an on the go coffee date. He’ll nap, we’ll talk, and when he wakes we’ve usually found ourselves at a nice lookout. With the big kids, we let them order a “coffee” of their own and we’ll sit in the shop, visiting or reading together before we take our drink on the go.
Sporting events
Look up the minor league schedule … tickets prices are low, and the excitement level is high!
Gym stop
Head to the gym and let your child lead the way! One on one time in the pool is always fun to do with mom and dad! Splish splash!
Grocery shopping
Is it way lame to grocery shop as a “date”? No way, it’s an everyday adventure when you’re a kid! When grocery shopping as a date we let them choose a new cereal, granola bar, or something else that catches their eye as a surprise.
Exploring the arts
Movies are expensive so I tend to keep my eye out for other artistic events we can attend – things like outdoor concerts, touring artists, and seasonal festivals!
Free museum nights
Speaking of the arts, almost all museums have a free night once a month or so – just call and ask! It’s amazing the questions your kids will ask and the things they will find interesting when they have mom and dads undivided attention.
Picnic at the park
Eli could swing for days and our big kids are playground obsessed so a picnic at the park is a great everyday adventure for the any combination of the three of us when the weather is decent!
All of these mom, dad, and kiddo dates require getting from point A to point B and often they include extra driving. So with Eli, or one of the big kids, along for the ride, it’s super important to us that they are as safe and cozy as can be. The Maxi-Cosi Magellan™ Max 5-in-1 Convertible Car Seat offers just that!
Over the last 30 years, Maxi-Cosi has worked tirelessly to create innovative car seats focused on safety, comfort, and style. The Magellan™ Max 5-in-1 Convertible Car Seat is not only ideal for rear facing little ones like Eli, it grows with your children through five modes of use: Baby Rear-Facing, Toddler Rear-Facing, Toddler Forward-Facing, Child Forward-Facing, and Belt Positioning Booster. That means it can accommodate children from birth to age 10 (5lbs. to 120lbs.) … that’s right, this seat is suitable for ALL our kids!
Both Dominic and I love the convenience features on the Magellan™ Max 5-in-1 Convertible Car Seat too. Maxi-Cosi really thought of everything! It has an EZ Out harness system which keep straps and the crotch buckle from getting caught and bunched under your child (because we all know how annoying that is!) and the ClipQuik auto-magnetic chest clip is easy for parents to open one-handed while simultaneously not easy for kids to unbuckle. With how often we use car seats, these little things really go a long way in making our travel time more enjoyable.
You can purchase the Maxi-Cosi Magellan™ Max 5-in-1 Convertible Car Seat: (ARV $399.99) and other Maxi-Cosi products at Albee Baby, Nordstrom, Buy Buy Baby and other specialty retailers. So if you’re in the market for a new car seat for your favorite third wheel – definitely consider the Magellan™ Max 5-in-1 Convertible Car Seat! I’d also love to hear your ideas for dates that focus on quality time with your kids! Where have you adventured with your little ones?
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.