Valentines, sweethearts, and KIDS! Do you see any connection between Valentine's Day, the romantic month surrounding it, and kids? Some equate Valentine's Day with a Hallmark card, box of chocolates, expensive candle-lit dinner or a bubbly sauna. Both women and men like to be romanced in their own way, but on the special Valentine's Day (and the month surrounding it), there are all sorts of things to factor into romance concerning kids.

First off, the "courting and marriage without kids" romantic getaways are a snap. You just pack it up and off you go on a Central Coast drive to Pismo Beach, escape to San Francisco where Tony Bennett left his heart, or warm San Diego resort such as Loews Coronado Bay with the gondolier outside your suite, waiting to take you around the bay for a moonlit kissing cruise.

Many couples go on Valentine's escapes with plans of either getting engaged, getting pregnant, or testing their love and commitment. For them, the event can be memorably hot, sweet, touching or horrid if it doesn't work out (very rare). But roll forward a year or two when you actually got pregnant and had the baby that cries, demands attention 24/7 and pretty much nixed any chance of romance in the traditional sense.

Lucky for you, hotels these days (the finer ones) have babysitting services so you can bring the kids and still feel like a Valentine. It's the ideal solution for couples who swore they'd never find a decent babysitter and were doomed to take turns going places separately. The best part of this solution is that your Valentine's event is comprised of all the good things in your life. Since Valentine's Day may occur during the week day, there's such a thing as IOU's for the weekend before or after February 14. In our search of hotels in California, we discovered Valentine's getaways are more prominent on the weekends before and after the 14th, in fact.

Great Valentine's treats for the entire clan can include the Disneyland, Six Flags, Legoland or Sea World weekend vacation, or even a whale watching tour.

While Napa's wine country escapes aren't the best suited Valentine's Day events with children in tow, some completely heart-grabbing, show-stopping smiles from your tikes on a Legoland ride, can bring more joy than being with your spouse separated from the kids and wondering if they're being cared for properly and if they are happy.

This Valentine's Day concept is not for everybody. It mainly works with those who love their children and their spouses and find the whole package is so happy and fulfilling, that the groups hugs are all that's required. Not to be the bearer of bad news on this special holiday celebration,  here's another thought--with around 50 percent of marriages ending in divorce, the one thing couples cling to most are the memories of their happy children growing up. Put in perspective, marriages and that romancing may or may not last, but kids are usually with you for the rest of your life. Forgo the 5 carat diamond that put you in debt. Spend your money on all your sweethearts by giving them an unexpected mid-winter getaway, and you'll be surprised at how much love you'll feel inside.

And don't ignore the California mountains for memorable kids Christmas vacations filled with snow, sledding and family gatherings at night around the fire.