Leaving Room for Guys' Night Out

When is the last time that your husband went out with the guys? Once you’re married, sometimes it can be hard to make time for friends - even the guys that your husband used to spend so much time with when you were dating. Although it can be tempting to think that all you need is each other, your husband actually needs the regular guys’ night out in order to be happy. The following guide will help you understand why your husband needs a guys’ night out and how to leave room in your relationship (and schedule) for a guys’ night out.

Why Your Husband Needs a Guys’ Night Out

There are many reasons why your husband needs to have a regular guys’ night out in his schedule. The primary reason is because everyone needs to have friends outside of their marriage; yes, your spouse should be your friend, but they shouldn’t be your only friend. Having friends - especially guy friends - is a way for your husband to maintain social relationships and to converse and interact with people on a different level than his spouse. With the guys, your husband can talk about topics you might not be interested in; he can get different perspectives on his thoughts and ideas, he can watch sports or head out with his friends and see how many wings he can eat in 20 minutes. In other words, he can be himself without feeling self-conscious in front of his wife.

Another reason why your husband needs a guys’ night out is so that he and his friends can maintain a stronger friendship bond. Once friends start to get married, it can become too easy for them to fall out of touch. With a regular guys’ night out, they maintain their friendship without having to constantly struggle and juggle schedules in the hopes that someone might be free.

How to Leave Room for a Guys’ Night Out

There are several ways that you can leave room for a guys’ night out that your husband will be able to enjoy.

First, make sure that you don’t monopolize your husband’s time, particularly the weekend nights when “guys’ nights” are more likely to happen. If you have a regular date night, make it clear to your husband that it’s okay to skip a date or arrange for a make-up date when there is a guys’ night out that falls on that day.

Next, encourage your husband to go out! If your husband expresses that he feels guilty about going out without you or he’s not sure if he should go, nudge him in the right direction. Let him know that you think it’s great he goes out with his friends and that you think his time with friends is important, too.

Remember: a guys’ night out is important in order for your husband to get social interaction outside of your relationship and to ensure that he maintains strong friendships. You can and should do your part by encouraging your husband to go out with just the boys from time to time.