It took years before my husband and I could go on a Valentine’s date by ourselves again. With four kids and no maid, we would often end up going out with the whole family or not at all.

Thankfully, my two older boys are now in their teens and can already be trusted to look after their younger brothers for a few hours while mom and dad watch a movie or have a fancy meal.

Other couples don't have that privilege. But hey, you can still have a romantic Valentine's date even with kids in tow. It just takes some creativity.

Valentine Breakfast

Surprise your husband and kids with a Valentine breakfast table. Cover the dining table with a white cloth and scatter some red items, such as paper hearts in various sizes or lots of rose petals, all over the table top.  Arrange some fresh flowers in a vase as a centerpiece. Serve some heart-shaped pancakes with strawberries and cream on top plus chocolate milk sprinkled with cinnamon powder or a pink smoothie made of strawberries, yogurt and milk. You can also cook French toast and use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to carve our bite-sized pieces.

Candlelight Dinner

Decorate the house with pink and red balloons and streamers made of red and white crepe paper. Cook up a fun meal for dinner and serve dessert such as a heart-shaped cake or strawberry ice cream. Turn off the lights and dine by candlelight to set a more romantic mood.

Kids' Day

Treat the whole family out to a kid-friendly restaurant. Later, join the kids and play games with them for an hour or two at their favorite games arcade. You might even surprise yourself by enjoying the games as much as your kids do.

Rom-Com Marathon

Since Valentine’s Day this year is a weekday, consider watching a romantic comedy while snuggling with everybody on the couch and eating popcorn to end the evening on a happy note.

Several moms also shared tried and tested activities.  Here are some of them:

Eat Out

“This year, we are looking forward to sampling the Chocolate Buffet in Legend Villas, affordably priced at P180 nett for adults and P130 nett for kids.” - Aneth Lim, writer

House Parties

“We have relatives who regularly host family Valentines Day parties. Themes range from pajama and luau with lots of barbeque. We love going there with our kids because we can all have fun together."
- Jen CC Tan, businesswoman

Island Bound

“A trip to a private/secluded beach-island, watching the sunset, or stargazing is our idea of a perfect Valentine holiday getaway [with our kids]!” – Dr. Joy Sy, pediatrician
 
Charity Work

“To show our child how to love back – volunteer at a shelter, visit an orphanage or watch a concert/show in support of a cause.” -Jennifer Uy Wong, businesswoman

Day for Pampering or Camping

“We all love getting body massages and Valentine’s Day is the best time to do it.  We can have a day at the spa, book a big room for all of us and enjoy being pampered.  My kids love getting massages and even my 3- year-old can get through it in 1.5 hours. You can also go camping with all the works: making a bonfire to roast hotdogs, marshmallows and smores in, sleeping in a tent, storytelling, and taking scary-looking pictures then announcing a winner later. You can include trail hiking and riding the zipline if it’s available in the camp site. We did this in Tagaytay last month when the weather was still very cold.” – Christine Juan, preschool director