Me with my friend, Tanya.

The great pop culture philosopher Cyndi Lauper once said, “Girls just want to have fun.” That applies to mommies, too, but sometimes we forget we’re still girls with a need for social interaction with our girlfriends. Mommies need play dates, too. When was the last time you had some quality time with the girls minus your children?

I think we’d all be better mothers and wives if we made the time for our own play dates the way we do for play dates for our kids. I’m not talking about a huge time commitment. Just one night a month can make a huge difference.

Sure, kid play dates are nice, and you do get together with other moms, but we all know you can hardly finish a conversation before you have to negotiate peace talks with the children over a toy or someone has a pressing need to go potty or needs an emergency diaper change.

After I had my twins in 2006, I really needed a good reason to get out of the house every now and then. I started the monthly ritual of meeting one of my best friends for dinner. I actually get to dress up, eat at a place that doesn’t have chicken nuggets on the menu and drive there in a cool car instead of a minivan (also known as a loser cruiser). And get this! I actually get to listen to my own music in the car. It’s truly a magical night.

My friend, Tanya, and I go way back. We met in college, coincidentally, in a sociology class. We have one of those friendships where it doesn’t matter how much time has gone by since we’ve seen each other in person, we can pick up right where we left off.

Tanya and I really couldn’t have more different lives. She’s a workingwoman and a newlywed. I’m a stay-at-home mother of three, and I’ve been married nine years. Somehow we still find common ground, and there’s never a lack of good conversation and laughs.

Last night’s three-hour chat fest ranged from politics and religion to germ phobias and television shows. We even discussed a book (and I don’t mean a board book) we’ve both recently read. Of course, we still talk about my children and her nephews and nieces, but kid talk doesn’t dominate our every discussion. I always come back home so rejuvenated as all the laughing and the chocolate for dessert have melted away the mom stress of the day.

I’m fortunate to have a husband who doesn’t mind watching our three children so I can have a night off from bedtime routine duties. I don’t know if he’s crazy or brave for doing it. Last night Mark got all three kids fed, bathed and in bed by 7:30 p.m. And probably best of all, he had total control over the remote control last night instead of being forced to watch another estrogen-filled episode of Grey’s Anatomy. Plus, he was able to eat a cheeseburger while he watched TV, too. See there, guys. Mommy’s play date can be good for you, too.

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