Five Valentine’s Day Ideas for Parents

iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Being a parent of young children means it’s often hard to carve out “alone time.” But don’t let this Valentine’s Day pass you by — even if you’re covered in spit up and submerged in bath and bedtime routines.

That’s the advice of Andrea Syrtash, relationship expert and author of Cheat on Your Husband with Your Husband.

“Get out of parent mode, even temporarily,” said Syrtash. “Having little ones and being romantic are not mutually exclusive, you can do both.”

Here Are 5 Tips for Romance When Baby Makes Three:

1. It’s not all or nothing. “This is key,” she said. “So often we just skip doing anything because we don’t have time to do it all.” Simple gestures are sufficient. “Do a little something, anything, that gets out you out of parent mode.”
2. Spend one hour together eating after the baby goes to bed. “This one night, don’t eat hunched over. Sit at a table, have a conversation.” Even changing up the lighting, Syrtash said, can make a big difference. “Light the candles and turn on music to set the mood.”
3. Send a heartfelt video message. This can be done instead of, or in addition to a traditional card, but it’s “something unexpected.” You can use Skype to record and email a message to your significant other and brighten their day.
4. Massage. “When you massage your partner, oxytocin is released.” Often referred to as the love hormone, oxytocin also the hormone released during breastfeeding, said Syrtash.
5. Clean yourself up a bit. Putting on a clean shirt, she said, can do wonders to increase the romance.

Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio