Valentine’s Day is right around the corner – and if this is your first one post-divorce, you don’t have to dread it. Check out this list of 17 fun-and-fabulous things you can do to keep yourself busy, whether you’re flying solo or you’re spending the day with your children.
Valentine’s Day After Divorce: 17 Things to Do When You’re Flying Solo (or With Kids)
Even if you’ve never really been big on Valentine’s Day, it can still be a tough holiday after a divorce. For many people, it’s a reminder that they’re single. Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do in Stockton (or even at home) to have a fabulous day – and here are 17 of our favorite ideas:
Have a dinner date with your single friends
Learn a new recipe
Make crafts with your kids
Spoil someone (preferably yourself and your children)
Have a movie marathon with your kids
Get a massage
Take the kids to the Stockton Skate Park
Go to the Haggin Museum
Head to the Micke Grove Zoo
Hang out at Oak Grove Regional Park
Visit the Children’s Museum of Stockton
Stroll the Joan Darrah Promenade
Enjoy the World Peace Rose Garden at University Park
Visit the Stockton Cambodian Buddhist Temple (Wat Dhammararam)
Take your pups to the Barkleyville Dog Park
Curl up with your favorite book
Give yourself a self-guided walking tour of Stockton
Here are more details on each so you can plan your day.
#1. Have a dinner date with your single friends
If you’ve got single friends who are flying solo, have them over – you don’t have to stay home alone if you don’t want to. Have everyone bring a dish to pass so you don’t have to plan a big to-do.
#2. Learn a new recipe
Even if you’re not having anyone over, head to the supermarket and pick up all the ingredients for a new recipe you’ve been meaning to try. And if you’re not much of a cook, that’s okay – roll the dice and pick an online recipe that looks like something you’d enjoy and give it a shot.
#3. Make crafts with your kids
If you’ll have your children on your first Valentine’s day after divorce, create your own special traditions. You can draw, cut, paste and paint your way to a fun day of crafting. (And you don’t have to have your children to do this, either. Pick up a canvas and some paint, a skein of yarn or any other crafting materials that you enjoy working with and start crafting!)
#4. Spoil someone (preferably yourself and your children)
Take the kids out for a special dinner and a movie. You all deserve it!
#5. Have a movie marathon with your kids
Turn on Disney+ or Netflix and let the movie marathon commence. (Our suggestion: Watch all the Avengers movies in order – but be prepared to carry your marathon over into the weekend.)
#6. Get a massage
Treat yourself to a relaxing massage or spa treatment for Valentine’s Day after divorce. It’s a great way to recharge.
#7. Take the kids to the Stockton Skate Park
The Stockton Skate Park is open from sunrise to sunset and features a moon, small bowl, offset steps, rail, half-pipe, EMB, star, fun box, block and piano. Bring helmets and pads for a whole day of outdoor family fun.
#8. Go to the Haggin Museum
The Haggin Museum is a great place to view some of Stockton’s fabulous – but little-known – history and serious collections of art by renowned artists such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Jean Beraud, Rosa Bonheur and more.
#9. Head to the Micke Grove Zoo
The Micke Grove Zoo, a charming 5-acre park housing reptiles, birds, mammals such as marmoset, lemur, bobcats and snow leopards, the Southern pudu and more, is a great place to spend an afternoon. They’re open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Valentine’s Day.
#10. Hang out at Oak Grove Regional Park
Oak Grove Regional Park is home to beautiful nature trails, the Oak Grove Nature Center and Oak Grove Lake, and plenty of playgrounds. There’s even an 18-hole disc golf course if you play, and pets are welcome.
#11. Visit the Children’s Museum of Stockton
The Children’s Museum of Stockton is a hands-on discovery center that’s open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Valentine’s Day. There are more than 40 exhibits to enjoy, and there’s a toddler area, an outdoor playground and patio, and a spectacular reptile display.
#12. Stroll the Joan Darrah Promenade
Take a walk by the water (or ride your bike) at the Joan Darrah Promenade. You can get your steps in and enjoy views across the Delta, or watch the sun set from beneath the palms – and you’re moments from other great places to visit, like the Bob Hope Theatre and the Children’s Museum of Stockton.
#13. Enjoy the World Peace Rose Garden at University Park
The beautiful World Peace Rose Garden at University Park is home to more than 250 fragrant roses all year. You can write your own “Message of Peace” or read others created by local students and residents.
#14. Visit the Stockton Cambodian Buddhist Temple (Wat Dhammararam)
Wat Dhammararam is a beautiful, tranquil place filled with oversized sculptures (more than 90 of them, in fact) that celebrate the life and story of the Cambodian Buddha. You can download the visitor’s guide here.
#15. Take your pups to the Barkleyville Dog Park
The Barkleyville Dog Park is a great place for pups of all sizes. There are three separate areas – one for small dogs (under 20 pounds), one for larger dogs (over 20 pounds) and a separate play and agility course. There are benches for pet parents and always-full dog water fountains, and they’re open from an hour before sunrise to an hour after sunset.
#16. Curl up with your favorite book
If a book is more your speed than a movie marathon or a visit to a Buddhist temple, pick out an old favorite – or visit one of the Stockton Library’s eight branches to pick up something new. (There are eight San Joaquin County libraries, too.)
#17. Give yourself a self-guided walking tour of Stockton
If you’ve never taken a self-guided art and history tour of Stockton, Valentine’s Day is a great time. You’ll see everything from the old Emergency Hospital on North San Joaquin Street to the historic B&M Building on Bridge Place. Get a map and all the details here.
Are You Contemplating Divorce?
If you’re considering divorce, whether you’re still living with your spouse or you’re living apart, we can help you. Call us at (209) 546-6246 to set up a consultation so you can learn about your options – and get answers to all your questions – today.
When you’re dealing with divorce, every day can be a battle – you just have so much going on. You’re still showing up at work and doing your job, you’re coming home and helping your children, and you’re trying to put together the pieces so you don’t feel like you’re losing your sanity. Your divorce attorney is there to help you with all the legal aspects of your split, but that’s only part of what you’re focused on.
Try these seven tips to get through your divorce with your sanity intact – they’ve been proven to help people dealing with divorce, and they could help you, too.
Dealing With Divorce: 7 Tips to Help You Through It
Dealing with divorce takes quite a bit of mental work. These seven tips can help you zero in on what’s bothering you and relieve a little bit of the stress you’re currently experiencing.
Give yourself permission to grieve
Find – and use – your support network
Take care of yourself physically
Get to know yourself again
Give arguments a hard pass
Get help when you need it
Let your lawyer worry about strategy
#1. Give yourself permission to grieve
It’s okay to grieve your divorce – everyone does. It’s a form of loss, which means your mind has to process it that way. It’s also okay to be angry, sad, upset or frustrated. Even if you keep it to yourself, you have to give yourself permission to feel the way you do. You’re going to be operating at less than maximum potential until you recognize and deal with your emotions.
#2. Find – and use – your support network
No man (or woman) is an island! Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on or an arm to lean on during divorce; that’s just the way it is. We’re wired that way, so find people who are supportive of what you’re going through and who let you talk about what’s bothering you. You don’t have to talk to people you know – you can check out divorce support groups or talk to a therapist who focuses on dealing with divorce, too.
#3. Take care of yourself physically
It’s easier to say “take care of yourself physically” than it is to do it, but here’s what you need to know: even a small amount of exercise – like walking from the back of the parking lot to the store or work – can have tremendous benefits. Try to eat well and get enough sleep. We know, that’s a tall order… but your body is what’s getting you through each day, so you have to take care of it – even when you don’t feel like it.
#4. Get to know yourself again
Taking a little time to explore your interests and reconnecting to things you used to enjoy without your spouse can work wonders for your well-being. Go tinker in the garage, crochet a scarf or read an entire book in one sitting – whatever works!
#5. Give arguments a hard pass
Arguing with your spouse is going to raise your stress levels through the roof, even if you know you don’t have to deal with his or her emotional fallout. If your ex starts to pick a fight, walk away. You hold the cards, and it’s your right to do so until he or she can treat you with the respect you deserve. (Your heart rate will thank you!)
#6. Get help when you need it
Sometimes being strong means asking for help. If you feel like you’re drowning in your emotions, or if you suspect that you’re suffering from depression, reach out to a professional right away. You don’t have to feel that way. You can get help in other ways, too, like asking a friend to watch the kids so you can have a good, solitary cry or calling on someone to help you fix the dishwasher. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – nobody can do everything alone.
#7. Let your lawyer worry about strategy
Thinking about your case into the wee hours of the morning isn’t doing much but costing you valuable sleep. Let your attorney worry about the strategy that gets you the best possible outcome – you just worry about your well-being and taking care of your kids.
Do You Need to Talk to a Lawyer Because You’re Dealing With Divorce?
If you’re dealing with divorce – whether you’re thinking about filing or your spouse has already filed – we can help.
Call us at 209-910-9865 to schedule your divorce case review. You’ll talk to an experienced Stockton divorce lawyer who can give you the advice you need to begin moving forward.
