A Night Out, A Little Breathing Room

Parents Night Out always felt a little wild in the best possible way. I invited parents from our church and from Good News Club to drop off their kids for three hours. I told them not to worry about anything except to enjoy the break. I did not care if they went out to dinner, ran errands, or simply went home and sat in the quiet. I just wanted them to breathe. Parenting could feel nonstop, and I loved being able to say, “Let us take care of the kids for a while. You go be refreshed.”

Once the children came through the front doors, the energy in the building changed fast. Some of the parents looked at me like they could hardly believe we were really offering this for free. I watched moms and dads head out, some dressed for a night out and some just grateful for a little space, and I felt how much this simple gift mattered. Down in the gym, the kids jumped right into the fun. We had coloring pages for the quieter ones, big, organized games for the kids who wanted to run, dinner with Corndogs and Smiley Fries, a spring craft in the chapel, and later a movie and snacks to wind the night down.

Of course, not everything went exactly as planned. The mini corndogs did not go over nearly as well as I expected, and I found myself laughing while we peeled breading off for confused kids who just wanted a plain hot dog. One of my favorite moments came during Sharks and Minnows, when a new girl volunteered to be the shark before she even knew what that meant. At first she just stood there laughing while everyone ran past her, but once she caught on, she took off across the gym with the biggest smile on her face. Moments like that reminded me why I loved the event so much.

As much fun as the kids had, I saw God working most clearly through the parents. I heard the gratitude in their voices, and I watched one mom get emotional because she and her husband had not had a date night in over a year. In that moment, I felt like God was gently reminding people that the church cared for them in practical ways. We were not asking for anything from them. We were simply giving them a few hours of rest, support, and kindness. To me, that was the heart of Parents Night Out.

Todd Hixenbaugh
Kids Ministry Pastor