4 Reasons You Should Go on Couple Dates

The thought of going on a double date may seem corny, but the truth is that a double (or triple or quadruple) date is a great way to help your relationship grow and mature as well as ward off old-married-couple woes like boredom—which can set in even before you get engaged!

1. It inspires you to try new things in your relationship.

There’s something about seeing how other couples are with each other that makes me work harder at my own relationship with my guy. Why? Because when it’s just the two of us, sometimes we can let routine take over or forget to appreciate the little things. But when we learn how other couples deal with the ups and downs in their lives, it makes us wonder if what they tried might or mightn’t work for us, and it helps us consider options we may not even have thought of otherwise. When you have a good night out with friends and they mention the things they do as a couple, you’ll porobably find yourself filing away their stories so you can wonder later if they are things you and your guy may want to try for yourselves.

2. Comparison makes the heart grow fonder.

While it may be mean to say that sometimes other people’s relationship problems make you appreciate your own domestic bliss all the more, this nevertheless does happen. But we’re not just talking about that. Couples who hang out routinely may find themselves in a kind of unspoken our-relationship-is-happier-than-yours competition, but if this challenges you to work harder at appreciating and supporting your partner, what’s the harm? Moreover, when you get to know your friend’s guy better, it helps you deepen your understanding of why your guy is perfect for you.

3. You likely share some experience (read: hugot).

In law problems? Sex life slump despite both of your best efforts? Having trouble stuffing the jealousy monster back into its box? These things happen. And they aren’t always things your single friends will understand. On the other side of the spectrum, only another couple will understand that euphoria you get from those moments when you are totally in sync. They’ll understand how squabbles can turn into foreplay, and they totally get why staying home to cuddle wearing your jammies (or your birthday suits) can be the most awesome thing to do on a weekend.

4. You strengthen friendships with people who understand this aspect of your lives.

This is not to say that your single friends are not understanding or sympathetic of your situation. But it’s simply different with another couple who have been there, done that, and gotten over the hump. For example, it can be a bit of a downer when you step away from your girls’ night out just to text your guy that you’re moving to a different bar and not to wait up, and then have your gal pals gang up on you and accuse you of codependency. But apart from that, friends who are also in relationships may be more intuitive to your moods and understand why your guy’s happiness so keenly affects your own. They may be able to offer advice based on their own experiences or a more understanding ear to listen with should you need a sounding board.

Your whole life changes when you enter into a committed relationship, especially when you and your guy “put a ring on it.” Suddenly you have another person whose happiness, approval, and love directly affects your own sense of well-being and happiness. Someone who has never experienced that may not always understand how deeply this changes your thoughts and emotions. But when you hang out with other couples, you’ll find that similar experiences often help you forge an important bond with each other and with your guy.