Does anyone take special mother/child trips?

[Narnian_Princess]

My dad took each of us kids on a week-long vacation of our choice when we were 16 (I was 17 but I am a twin and gave my brother dibs on the first year). Twin brother went to Yellowstone to experience subzero snow camping and buffalo burgers. Little brother went to Yosemite for hiking and rafting. I went to Disneyland/Sea World/San Diego Zoo/Knott's at Christmastime. It was the best vacation ever and I plan to do the same for my kids one day. I may even add another year, like celebrating double digits at 10 or becoming a teenager at 13.

 

[rnorwo1]

I love all of the stories and ideas, thank you all so much!

 

[pjlla]

Didn't take the time to read the replies yet, but here is my experience......

I started taking my daughter on ANNUAL Mother/Daughter weekends when she was about 9 years old. We started small at first... tent camping locally (Mom was a total camping novice!), fishing in the river, cooking over an open fire. It was more about CONNECTING without interruption (no tv, no radio, etc). We quickly progressed on to "fancier" trips and now we tend to alternate between a "big" trip one year (this year was our second M/D Disney weekend!) and a more local trip the next year.

We have had some absolutely AMAZING adventures (she will be 19 this year) and I wouldn't trade my memories of our weekends for all of the gold in the world.

I started taking DS away on ANNUAL Mother/Son weekends when he was about 10.... again, we started local and small with camping, etc. He really loved the camping so we kept it up for a while. We have traveled to Quebec for camping, as well as around NH camping.... and he was the first one to have a Mother/Child Disney weekend! This past fall our M/S weekend was at MineCon (Minecraft Convention) in Orlando (but no Disney ).

Again... PRECIOUS memories (he is 16 this month) and worth EVERY PENNY and EVERY MINUTE!

Our rules are that each weekend must have a component for EACH of us.... for example, the MineCon weekend obviously was mostly for DS.... but our time at Downtown Disney was for me! And when DD and I traveled to Mystic Connecticut, the aquarium time was for her and the historic Seaport was for me!

Anyhow.... I think that the kids would agree that it doesn't always take a Disney year to make the best memories. DS and I still laugh (well, kind of) about the camping year that we got flooded out of our tent! And about the trip to Quebec.... the campground was literally DESERTED.... we were the only ones there for three nights.... kind of creepy but a good adventure! And we sat outside at our picnic table playing the game of Life until it was too dark to see the gameboard.... two nights in a row! (DS has always loved games!)

And DD and I can have fun together nearly anywhere, but we both love a good adventure! She is a great sport about doing slighty "crazy" things and trying new foods and new placs. We are tossing around the idea of Niagara Falls this summer for our M/D weekend (but it is about a 10 hour drive! ).

Anyhow... it is not about the money spent, but the memories made. And I'm sure my kids would tell you that some of their fondest memories are from our one-on-one trips. And of course, the kid left at home always got special "Dad" time.... usually a nice restaurant meal (we don't eat out on a regular basis, so that is a treat here), maybe a movie or a trip to the local fun park for go-carts or mini-golf.

My one bit of advise.... DO IT!! Local camping with a cooler full of food and drinks, a fishing pole in the back of the car, a camera, and a sense of adventure can go a looong way to making great memories with the kids for very little money!

Best of luck....................P

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

I've taken a few.

With my oldest DS My Dh and I took him alone to WDW when he was 6 and left the 2 younger kids at home with Grandma. I also took him on a trip alone to WDW for his 13th B-day. I have promised all the kids a trip for their 13th B-day's. The 2 of us are going alone to Washington DC in April to do some sightseeing of the things he's learning in American History this year.

For my DD I took her on a Mommy-DD princess trip to WDW when she was almost 4. That was really magical. Totally all princesses all the time! We also traveled to Chicago to do a girls weekend to the American Girl store for her 10th B-day. We'll do a trip to WDW next year when she turns 13.

Just got back from a trip with my youngest DS (8) to WDW in Nov, just the 2 of us. It was a chance for him to get all those autographs/meet characters and stuff that the older ones don't want to do anymore. I'll take him again when he turns 13.

These are some of my most treasured memories and have been worth every penny. My kids have felt special and there have been no jealousy issues because they all know they each get their own turns and their own special time. Totally worth doing!

ETA: We still take a family vacation so we can all get away together with DH too!

 

[dis75ney]

I will hopefully be doing that with DS14 this October...we both want to run the ToT 10-Miler, but DH will be working at Six Flags as a Fright Fest scare-actor, so he won't be able to get the time off. I also plan on taking him to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal as well...DS is a fan of all things gory and scary, so he'll get a kick out of the experience...

 

[MaleficentRN]

I took DD to MNSSHP last year. I've taken DS to the beach. I'm thinking about taking him to MVMCP in December. I enjoy the one on one time with them, especially DS. He is my youngest and has never known being an "only".

 

[DebMcDonald]

Yes at the age of 16, I have three DD's and for my oldest now 20 we surprised her with a card on her sweet 16 that said at some point you will be wisked away and this trip could happen any time and you could go anywhere. The trip was actually 8 months after her birthday, and I took her to Punta Cana and even had a car service pick us up. It was beyond wonderful and I will do it again for the next two when they come of age.

 

[rnorwo1]

I am going to take several people's advice and start small. We live near New Orleans so I'm going to start with my oldest (12) this weekend and just spend the day there doing a few things. He's quite the artist so we are going to go to see how they decorate the floats for Mardi Gras. My youngest (4) just wants to go somewhere with cotton candy, lol! My middle child had very extravagant ideas, so still working on him. Maybe next year we can start with bigger trips, but I'm already excited about these little excursions! Thanks again for all of the ideas!

 

[Woth2982]

Our magic age was 13. My mom and I went to London England, my sister went to Disney World and my brother went with both parents on a "sports trip" road trip to Springfield Ma for the Basketball HOF, then to Cooperstown NY Baseball Hall of Fame, Ohio for the football HOF, and I think two baseball games.

 

[Deffenm]

I am taking DD10 to WDW in December 2014. It will be just her and I. She asked if this could be her Birthday and Christmas gift since she doesn't play with toys and usually only asks for books and clothes. I am very excited to spend 1:1 time with her and to be able to do things that she wants. It will only be a 4night/5day trip.

I will be taking DS14 on a trip in 2015 when he turns 16 and then DS13 turns 16 in 2016. So it will work out that each child will get a trip between now and 2016. Then DH and I together will take each child on a trip when they graduate HS.

DH and the boys usually do 1:1 camping/fishing trips during the summer or go to sporting events like soccer, baseball. He will also take DD to her horseback riding lessons or 4H events to spend time with her. He is a stay at home dad so he gets more time with the kids so I am very excited for the trips so I can spend 1:1 time with my kids before they are all grown.

 

[jenniy122]

We've gone on trips just the two of us, but only since I've become an adult. Most out of necessity, apartment hunting and the like, but a trip to WDW when I was 23 and we're thinking about another trip somewhere else this summer as a college graduation present.

 

[Chelley00]

Our kids only get big birthday parties at ages 8, 13 and 16. Our boys have all chosen to stay local and have lots of friends do something fun (hockey games, paintball, skating etc) Our dd asked for a trip, and with grandparents pitching in, some frequent flier miles and lots of discounts, she and I went to Disney alone. For her 13th next year she wants to meet my friend and her daughter who live on the East coast in NYC for a long weekend. I'm not sure that will happen, but it's in the works.

 

[redsonja76]

I took my oldest to London as a surprise for her 17th birthday. It was a wonderful trip.