Your dates together should be for deepening your relationship, so don’t bring in topics that bring you stress, like bills, housework, work, in-laws, and kids. You can add other topics to this basic list. Keep your topics in the the dating zone.

If you find yourselves going toward any of the verboten topics, gently remind yourselves to move back to something more enjoyable. “We’re slipping out of dating zone, let’s go back.”

Another important point is to shut off your phones. Or put them away, deep in your pocket or better yet leave them at home. (If you have kids, you can give the babysitter a special ringtone in case of an emergency.)