Moms, Start Taking Yourself On Solo Movie Dates

There are very few moments as a mom when I can just sit in silence. When I’m home with my kids, you can almost always count on some form of chaos. Someone yelling for me from another room. The dog barking. A knock at the door. When we’re commuting all over town to extracurricular activities, which we do most days of the week, I alternate between refereeing as my kids battle over radio rights and mentally running through my (many) to-do lists.

So, no, I don’t often get to sneak in true, no-one-needs-anything-from-me-right-now silence. Or at least I didn’t, until I realized something: taking myself to the movies might just be the most underrated form of self-care there is.

I get that the idea of going to the movies alone can feel a little… vulnerable? Awkward? Like something you instinctively feel guilty about? But hear me out, because it’s become my new favorite way to spend a Wednesday night.

We all know the reality is that moms are literally never “off the clock,” especially not when you’re home and readily available to meet your family’s every whim. In a movie theater, though, you are about as off-duty as you can be.

The lights are down. Your phone is set to vibrate. All that’s asked of you is to sit there, in the dark, ideally with snacks, and let the moving images on the giant-ass screen entertain you.

It’s gloriously luxurious.

And you know what else? You don’t have to compromise on what to watch. I know (and I know you know I know) that you’re going to let your kids or partner pick whatever they want when you all go to the movies together or have family movie night at home. This is what moms do. We’re nothing if not martyrs.

When you go alone, you get to see whatever you want.

Sometimes that means picking the three-hour drama no one else in my household has the patience for. A lot of times, it means a cheesy rom-com or even a spicy theatrical retelling (I absolutely took myself to see Wuthering Heights).

Lately, I’ve been leaning way into this, picking movies purely based on how I’m feeling in the moment. Two weeks ago, I saw the weepy Colleen Hoover adaptation Reminders of Him, and last week I followed it up with the gory horror reboot Faces of Death.

Moms contain multitudes, damn it.

I also 100% understand that, as a mom, you probably feel guilty at the mere notion of spending money on something that’s solely for you each week. It’s the sort of activity your brain convinces you is indulgent. So, here’s where I say I *was* you, but please let me put you onto something: a Regal Unlimited movie theater subscription.

No, this is not sponsored. I’m not getting any kickback or freebies for telling you about this. I genuinely just want you to carve out some time for yourself in a cool, dimly lit theater with a box of popcorn the size of a newborn child.

Granted, you do need to live in an area that has at least one Regal theater nearby. If you do, though, this subscription lets you see as many movies as you want for a flat monthly fee. There are several tiers, and I chose the largest one — Unlimited All Access, which gets me unlimited movies at every Regal theater across the U.S. for $29.99 per month plus tax.

As you can imagine, it only takes two visits in a month for the membership to pay for itself. And yes, $30 per person for every person in your family would be a lot… but that’s not what you’re doing here. You’re spending $30 per month on yourself to do something that gives your brain a much-needed, well-deserved break.

I can think of so many other silly things we spend $30 a month on in my house, and no one bats an eye. Because of this, I’ve stopped treating going to the movies as some big, occasional outing and started treating it like a normal thing I can just do for myself.

It takes the pressure off. I don’t have to pick the “perfect” movie to justify the ticket price. I can just go and enjoy a movie for a movie’s sake.

There are a lot of “self-care” ideas out there that sound great in theory but add even more to my mental load. My solo movie dates require minimal planning, don’t cost me an arm and a leg, are easy to fit into real life (I go every Wednesday night when my kids are in band for three hours), and are shockingly restorative.

I don’t have to talk to anyone. I don’t have to be “on.” I don’t even have to share my f*cking popcorn.

Maybe this is the part that’s hardest to explain, but sitting in that dark theater, watching something I chose, with no one asking me for anything, I’m me again. Don’t get me wrong — there is nothing in this world I love more than being a mom. But getting to revisit “just me” again for a few hours every week feels pretty good, and I really believe it actually makes me a better mom.

I like that my kids get to see I have my own interests and activities, and that I make time to enjoy those things. I like that it gives me a little dopamine boost that helps me cruise through the rest of my week. I like that I get to scout out previews of movies I know I’ll want to bring my kids to.

So, if you need a nudge, here it is. Take yourself to the movies alone. Go on a random weeknight and let your partner handle the evening routine. Get the Twizzlers that your kids always veto. Sit wherever you want. Stay through the credits if you feel like it.

Dating yourself isn’t selfish! It’s a great reminder of who you are outside of everything and everyone else. Bonus? You’ve got great taste in movies.