At what age do you stop taking your adult child on vacation?

[DVC-Don]

We stopped when they were away at college. Sometimes now they'll join up with us now for a few days.

 

[Cydney]

My parents take my sister that is 25 with them on trips all the time. She is the youngest and has been all over the place. The rest of us got married younger and didn't go on these trips she has gone on. Her free loading drives me insane, she still lives at home. On the other hand my in laws had a son get married in Hawaii in November. They paid for 2 girls still in high school to go, a son that is 20, the bride and the groom, but they chose not to take their daughter that is single and is 23. We didn't go to the wedding because we couldn't afford to take our 4 kids and we didn't expect them to take us, but leaving 1 kid home seemed pretty cruel to me. My mother in laws response was "sucks to be an adult." I think if you can't afford to take them and pay the full price, maybe offer to pay part or at least plan with their schedules and hopefully they could pay their portion.

 

[Becc1]

Thanks for all of the responses. I wrote this post last January and we have since gone on our vacation this past November. DS20 was able to take a long weekend away from school and join us for half of our trip.

 

[ryansstitch]

Hope you all had a great time! I still went on family trips with my parents and siblings until I got engaged at 27! It was still fun too, though I paid for many things myself.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I went on a vacation with my parents when I was 29, it was great, now that I am this old I am glad I did that

 

[kimmar067]

Thanks for all of the responses. I wrote this post last January and we have since gone on our vacation this past November. DS20 was able to take a long weekend away from school and join us for half of our trip.

....sounds like a good time was had by all!

....thanks for the update....

 

[dairyou]

Subscribing

 

[AustinTink]

Crazy that this thread is still going. It just doesn't seem like much of a topic to debate. You never stop being a parent. Just because your kid becomes an adult, doesn't mean you stop wanting to spend time together... no matter who pays for whom. Since I lost my Mom, I wish I had the chance to go on one more trip with her. Anyplace at all. Spend time with your kids. It's all over way too soon.

 

[Janed]

We are a family of 4, 2 DDs, 30 and 28. They have been with us for each of our trips to WDW. I'm currently planning a trip for next October and both are planning to join us. We pay for hotel (I rent points for a 2 bedroom suite) and food. We've used that split of costs for the past 3 trips, since they've been out of college. Last year we all went to Hawaii together, using the same split. Of course they usually treat us to a dinner or two and purchase whatever alcohol they want for the room. I can't imagine not inviting them on a trip unless it was one planned with another couple. It is amazing that they still want to vacation with us!

 

[fizbobunny]

For my parents it was when you got married. Once married you were welcome to join them at your own cost.

 

[PSUGuy]

Our family never stopped vacationing together. We treated our kids to our Myrtle Beach vacation until the oldest were in their mid 20s at which point they started renting their own condos in the same building where we stay, their idea, we didn't kick them out. From 1999 through 2004 we took our adult kids to WDW on our dime, their friend came along at their expense. Now wifey and I are mid 60s the 'kids' all 30 plus and we're hoping they can join us in WDW this Oct.

Bill From PA

 

[powellrj]

Our DD in college was mad we went to Florida without her this year, even though she had taken 2 trips to Universal last year and is taking 2 trips again this year with her friends. Middle DS had to work and didn't want to miss the hours, so he took care of the dog and oldest DS is married with 2 kids and went back to school and none of them wanted to miss school.

 

[kimmar067]

Crazy that this thread is still going. It just doesn't seem like much of a topic to debate. You never stop being a parent. Just because your kid becomes an adult, doesn't mean you stop wanting to spend time together... no matter who pays for whom. Since I lost my Mom, I wish I had the chance to go on one more trip with her. Anyplace at all. Spend time with your kids. It's all over way too soon.

 

[kallanach]

This thread stirs up memories. My parents were divorced. In middle/ high school dad would take us with his second wife to the beach for a week. At 13 we had our one trip to WDW with dad and the second wife. Good vacations. But that week was the most interaction we had with dad at any time in the year. Years later, married with our own kids, we were talking about taking our kids to WDW for the first time. My dad chimed in that he and his wife had been there about a dozen times over the years. It dawned on me that since I was 13, my father had never asked us to WDW again. He had gotten on with his new life in so many ways. The trips to exotic destinations around the world and the multiple Disney trips. It underscored for me how spending time with us was not important and it never would be. This summer will be my family's (DH, DD,DS) 5th trip to WDW. We vowed to take the kids--together as a family--until they no longer want to go.

 

[Snoozan]

Funny this post came back. I just returned on Thursday from a WCW trip with my DH, 32 YO DS, DDIL, and 2 DGS's. Definitely different going with your 'kid' when they have kids of their own, but lots of bonding time with my littlest 6yo DGS.

 

[Kellykins1218]

We are going on a cruise for Christmas 2016 and just told our 23 & 21 year olds that they're coming, too.

 

[maxaroni]

DS22 doesn't' want to travel with us. This year he is planning on going to London for a week to visit his GF who is studying abroad this semester He is also going on a cruise with the guys. He would prefer to do things on his own and having his own experiences. Perhaps, when he is married with kids we will all go to WDW...who knows?

 

[AC7179]

I have a 23 year old step daughter. She has lived with us since she was 5 and her biological mom is out of the picture. She is as much mine as any of the others. She got her BSN and has been working as an RN for two years, lives in her own apartment, totally independent, etc.

My husband and I also have an 11 year old and a four year old. Last year, we went to wdw. We got a big condo at Bonnet Creek And she paid for her own park admission and all was good---except I did hear a lot of, "I paid for my own ticket so we should do what I want now..." I guess she is immature in that way (we try to do what everyone wants, but with an age range that drastic they all have to be pretty good about being patient.)

Later in the summer we did a two night weekend trip to a beach town about four hours away because my three year old wanted to see the beach and we wanted to do a last little hurrah before school started again. We did not take the twenty three year old because she was working, she hates the sun and the water, and because we only got one hotel room. She was VERY offended, and as a matter of fact, six months later at my four year old's bday party this weekend, she told my close friend that we left her at home and vacationed without her. My friend gave me an earful about that, you can be sure.

I don't know what the answer is. I hate that she was offended but she had to work and honestly doesn't like the beach. Also, the hotel room was over $300 a night, and it really wasn't in our budget to add another room. Realistically, we would have just stayed home instead of adding that expense or trying to find a time to reschedule when she didn't work. This was planned spur of the moment.

That doesn't seem fair either, since my 23 year old has had many trips with us alone and with her 11 year old sister under her belt, and we decided to go really because the three year old was obsessed with the beach.


We have tried to add my oldest to the big trips but it's almost impossible to add her to every small little weekend jaunt we take, both on an expense level and a scheduling level.

What I am going to try next is a cruise. My husband and I will have a room with the two younger girls. I have told my oldest when we are going and told her she is welcome but will need to pay for her own stateroom and suggested she bring a friend. We would pay for excursions, expenses, Etc. I am hopeful this will work out bc although she will pay for her own room, she will be with a friend and be able to do what they want to on their own during the day---so she shouldn't be stuck with the little kids a day. She is single with a full time, professional job and was looking at booking a cruise on her own anyway, so it seemed fair to me, although I still don't feel 100% good about it. It is a struggle to decide what is fair/right and preserve everyone's feelings!

 

[mummabear]

DS22 doesn't' want to travel with us. This year he is planning on going to London for a week to visit his GF who is studying abroad this semester He is also going on a cruise with the guys. He would prefer to do things on his own and having his own experiences. Perhaps, when he is married with kids we will all go to WDW...who knows?

I think these things go around in a circle, you grow up move out want to be independent etc then you have kids and you start seeing alot of your parents again because you want to encourage relationships between them and the kids, the Grandparents are excellent support etc.
I would love for my mom to come to Wdw with us

 

[PollyannaMom]

I have read just the first and last page, so I see that the original issue was resolved. But to the topic in general, I think there will be a crossover period, when DS is in college, when we will plan family trips around his breaks and all go together, but maybe also take other adults-only trips while he is in school.

I imagine it's much harder when there are more children involved, though. But personally, I can't imagine leaving just one out and taking the rest, unless it was completely that one's decision not to go.