Why I Dislike Valentine's Day

So yesterday was Valentine’s Day. Which I’m sure that you already know. But I just have to tell you that Valentine’s Day when you are a parent is much, much different than before you had kids. It just doesn’t have the same importance that it used to have…for many reasons. I think that I finally hit that “I’m an old fuddy-duddy” phase of adulthood, because I look at things so very differently than I used to, and I find myself really not liking Valentine’s Day anymore.

#1 – The last thing that I want to do is to have to make reservations waaaaayyyy in advance and sit in a crowded restaurant being waited on by a server that would rather be spending their time with their “special someone.” And the crowds…ugh, don’t even get me started on the crowds on a holiday like Valentine’s Day.

#2 – The struggle of finding a babysitter on Valentine’s Day is like trying to get the “IT” toy of the year for your kid at Christmas. Since there are so few good babysitters nowadays, you have to practically fight other couples in order to schedule a babysitter for Valentine’s Day. Or if you only use family members to watch your kids, you are scheduling months in advance in order to beat your siblings to reserving grandma’s time.

#3 – The cost of Valentine’s Day is just ridiculous. Why would I want my husband to spend double or triple the amount of money on flowers that he could bring me any other day. Or chocolates. Or cards. I also think that getting these items as a surprise on a “normal” day means so much more to me. I would rather get something “just because” rather than because of a holiday…it means that he is thinking about me on his own, not because he’s supposed to.

I just would rather stay at home in my yoga pants & a tank top, cuddled up on the couch watching a movie with my hubby. Or sitting outside under the stars by our fireplace. Those moments are the ones that I treasure so much more. Those are the moments in which our love shines through…the moments that don’t need all the hoopla surrounding them. They are the moments that we spend together because we WANT to, not because we are supposed to!