Front page story

February 18, 2008 | Print

Dating Adventures Increase Romance

Dating as in going on a date, not dating many people.

Couples can increase their romantic connection by changing up routine date nights. Apparently, it’s all about novelty. A new activity triggers the same brain circuits that light up in the early stages of romantic love–in effect rekindling those feelings.

The benefit of very young children is that just getting out of the house together, without children, feels like an adventure. As our kids get older and we move to more stable footing, we notice the general fatigue of raising our still young kids while balancing traffic, work and a little exercise may lead us to favor the ease of standard nights out.

We break the mold in simple ways–a walk or hike, dinner at a new restaurant, even parking further away from a movie theater and walking those extra blocks can create a new dynamic.

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