Am I the only single parent going in December?

[GSUJillybean]

I'll be there from the 12-17th.

It's a bittersweet trip. I lost my husband in 2007 a few weeks after having our first (and only, I guess) kid.

Disney was always our place. We went for our honeymoon. Michael proposed there.

I love taking the kiddo, but sometimes it hurts... sometimes seeing the happy families makes it worse.

I can't be the only one who feels this way, no?

 

[TortugaDave]

I'll be there from the 12-17th.

It's a bittersweet trip. I lost my husband in 2007 a few weeks after having our first (and only, I guess) kid.

Disney was always our place. We went for our honeymoon. Michael proposed there.

I love taking the kiddo, but sometimes it hurts... sometimes seeing the happy families makes it worse.

I can't be the only one who feels this way, no?

Disney will always be a special place for you. Enjoy your present and remember the past fondly. Welcome Jill, you are among friends!

 

[TortugaDave]

I should add that I lost my wife through a rough divorce and feel many bitter sweet feelings about going down to Disney, but I truly love it and it does more goo than bad being there!

 

[Sewfun]

I'll be there from the 12-17th.

It's a bittersweet trip. I lost my husband in 2007 a few weeks after having our first (and only, I guess) kid.

Disney was always our place. We went for our honeymoon. Michael proposed there.

I love taking the kiddo, but sometimes it hurts... sometimes seeing the happy families makes it worse.

I can't be the only one who feels this way, no?

I should be going for Christmas, but this time without my children. I am so sorry for your loss. I know it hurts to go, but it was such a happy place for you both. I am not sure how I am going to handle seeing the happy families, but I do know there are alot of not so happy families with the kids screaming and crying, parents yelling and all stressed out. Remember your good times fondly, and hopefully it will be a sweet and memorable trip for you.

Tammy

 

[Missytara]

Gosh - I am going to miss you by one week; if I was there that week I would come up and give you a big hug.....keep your chin up. Like the other posters said, fondly enjoy your memories!

 

[WDmommyof4]

I am terribly sorry for your loss. I know it was a while ago, but having lost a loved one I know it can seem like just yesterday at times. That being said, my mom and I are taking my four boys down in December from the 16th-22nd, unless funds are tight and then it will just be me and two or maybe three of my boys. We would love to meet up and say hello on one of the days we overlap if you like.

 

[ccudmore]

Thought I'd share my personal experience related to this. My father died when I was 9. About a year later my mother decided to take the 3 kids (then 10, 8, 5) to WDW to bring some fun to the family. To this day all three of us kids (all now in our 40s with families of our own) talk about the huge difference that trip made to us all. It finally brought some happiness to us after a long hard year. I still have a tear in my eye every time I walk through the main gates a the Magic Kingdom remembering that happy trip.

I hope that you and your kids have a similar experience, making WDW your "laughing place".

 

[Dan Murphy]

I will be missing you by a few days, Jilly, but wishing you much peace and comfort. 's Disney World will always be a special place for you little kiddo.

 

[2Tiggies]

I also go solo with Kiddo. I would imagine that your husband would be very pleased and touched that you are taking your child to the place that had so many happy memories for you as a couple. It has meaning to you which is deeply personal and you are sharing this with your child. I admire you. It is a hard, sometimes painful experience to be in a "family oriented environment" as a solo. But you are giving your child happy memories and doing something special together. I am sure your husband would have wanted you to do that. I don't think the pain ever totally disappears. But you do handle it differently over time and it becomes more manageable. Sometimes it is easier as you learn to accept that your feelings are normal. Next time you get that sudden wave of sadness and all the memories come flooding back, just remember that you are not alone.