Study: Average parent hasn’t been on a romantic date in over 3 years!

4 min readFeb 14, 2020

The average parent hasn’t been on a romantic date in more than three years, according to new research.

A poll of 2,000 parents of school-aged children (5–18) found three in 10 don’t even remember the last romantic date they went on.

But the large majority say it’s something they want to change, as 81% say that they need to step things up and have more frequent date nights.

The study, conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Groupon, examined the romantic lives of 2,000 parents of children aged 5–18 and uncovered seven in 10 reported that the romance in their relationship significantly decreased after having kids.

And over half (53%) long for some of the freedom they had before becoming parents.

But what do parents miss most about life pre-children? Turns out, spending quality time with their partner.

But that’s not all. From having more sex (39%) and sleeping in (36%), to traveling more frequently (36%) and getting more time alone (31%) — parents are nostalgic about their life before having children.

Two in five say they simply miss having less responsibility.

However, that doesn’t mean parents are bitter about a reported decline in romance. In fact, 77% of those surveyed revealed they are happier and more fulfilled now that they have their children.

Working parents even look forward to spending time with their kids and family at the end of a long day. Making dinner for the family was the number one thing parents reported looking forward to after a busy day at work.

Other activities parents get excited about include tucking the kid(s) into bed (39%), reading them a bedtime story (37%) and snuggling with them (35%).

In fact, even when it comes to how they spend their Valentine’s Day, 66% would prefer to snuggle with their kid(s) than with their partner.

As children are a main priority for parents, nearly a third (31%) can’t even remember the last time they spent Valentine’s Day with JUST their partner.

Instead, 56% plan on spending Valentine’s Day with their children — preferring time with their kids and family to a one-on-one date with their partner.

Thirty-six percent of the parents studied reveal they’ve never spent Valentine’s Day without their kids while a further 79% say they prefer to spend Valentine’s Day as a family.

“As parents, it’s great if we can pull off a romantic date night experience with our partner on Valentine’s Day. However, it’s also about celebrating our other loves, too,” said Groupon’s Head of Experiences Brian Fields. “And when it comes to finding the perfect gift for all of your loves, our research shows that experiences are remembered nearly 40% more than physical things and leave people feeling nearly 20% happier.”

The top Valentine’s Day experiences identified by parents of things they’d like to do with their partner, included: a couples massage (36%), romantic dinner (28%), spa day (26%), mani/pedi (21%) and a concert (18%).

The top Valentine’s Day experiences parents identified for the entire family, included: a spa day (28%), dinner (26%), museum (25%), a concert (24%) and a mani/pedi (24%).