has anyone left there baby behind to go to disney

[chrismom2005]

i'm planning a trip for this dec its me dh my ds 6 and my ds who will be six months. we are going with another family who have a 6 year old i had planned to take the baby with us but then when i was telling my aunt about the trip she offered to take my baby for the week if i wanted. at first i didnt think i would want to do that. but the more i think about it it sounds like a good idea. but i think i'll feel like a awful mommy if i leave him behind. i've got plenty of time to think about it. the longest i've been away from my ds is two nights. there are good points and then there is the i would miss him so much i might not have any fun.

 

[aes74]

i'm planning a trip for this dec its me dh my ds 6 and my ds who will be six months. we are going with another family who have a 6 year old i had planned to take the baby with us but then when i was telling my aunt about the trip she offered to take my baby for the week if i wanted. at first i didnt think i would want to do that. but the more i think about it it sounds like a good idea. but i think i'll feel like a awful mommy if i leave him behind. i've got plenty of time to think about it. the longest i've been away from my ds is two nights. there are good points and then there is the i would miss him so much i might not have any fun.

My husband and I went on an anniversary trip by ourselves to WDW before and left the tikes behind. It was good, but hard the last day or two. I think it's totally up to you. You're only a bad mom if you leave him in a box with only the cat to take care of him. You do have plenty of time to soul-search and think about it. I have taken my kids as small babies though, and it was fine, so I think either way you can do it and be happy!

 

[Carrie772]

We took our 6yo and 4 yo and left the 1.5 yo with Mamaw. never looked back. He would not have enjoyed it and it was nice to just be with the big kids. Only a 4 day trip anyway.

 

[Chelle's Belles]

It would probably be a lot easier with just the two 6 year olds. At that age, your younger child won't fully "get" that you've all gone, anyway.

I think you'll have a wonderful trip either way! Plenty of people take babies to Disney and have a fabulous time.

 

[an_evans]

My husbadn is going to Orlando for a conference in January. I am toying with th eidea of leaving the youngest two at home..... a 6 month old and a 3 year old. I don't think I could leave our 3 year old....he loves Mickey so much! And then if I tak e3 kids....how much more work is 4?

 

[ampc3]

we went in feb '05 with 2 older ones (4&6) at the time and left our 17month old at grammys. We were only gone for 2nights and finished up our vacation at grammys house since she lives in south florida. There where a couple times I was thinking she would have liked this or that, but just kept thinking of the day we could all go again... hopefully sept !

 

[almburr]

went in Aug 05 with just the older two, we went with my cousin and her family 2 of her 3 are the same age as 2 of mine. We left the younger 3 withgrandparents and had a great time. Younger 3 had a great time at grandparents and didnt even cry when we left. The older kids got to do more things instead of waiting on the little ones.

We went back in Nov. 06 with the next two DS6 and DD5. The baby will get to go when he is 4 2more years.

There is nothing wrong not taking the younger ones. I felt more at ease, getting to spend more time with them.

 

[mjejj]

We left our 23 month old with his grandmother when we went in June for an adult trip to Disney. He loves staying with Grandma so he had a blast. We had a great time and were able to do everything we wanted to and stay in the parks from opening to closing. I kept thinking how much my son would like this ride and that show. Luckily, we were able to go back in October and take him with us. It was a great trip too, just a different kind of trip, more laid back and we did things he wanted (or we thought he wanted) to do.

If your child likes staying with the Aunt, I would say go and have a great time and then maybe you can check out all of the things he might like to do and bring him later on a kids trip.

 

[Hedy]

Not a parent, but we've nephew sat twice while their family was at WDW-once when Dnephew11 was almost three and his parents went as a couple for a long weekend, and once when DNephew11 went with his parents and aunt and uncle, we watched Dnephew7 (who was 25 months at the time) for a wek.
Both times the kids had great time with us, and they were able to make some great memories with us. I think it can be a great opportunity, my younger nephew was definately experiencing some Mommy sickness, but it was unavoidable (also, it was late September of 2001, so I think we were all a little worried and he might have picked up on it.)

 

[pweyl36]

We left ds home when he was 2yrs.He stayed with grandma,and had a great time.Plus,my daughter felt a little special with just being with mom and dad.Go have a good time the baby will never remember it.

 

[tjlovespooh]

We are bringing our 1.5yr old with us this spring but my sister left her 6mo old for a 7day trip to disney. It's all about what makes you comfortable. I have another sister who insisted that she's the one who would suffer the most anxiety from such separation. Do what feels right for you!

 

[powellrj]

we have left our youngest children at home and only taken the oldest ones before. We have large age gaps between our children and with the birth of each child we wanted a little special time with them.

We had been taking our oldest to disney every 2 years since he was 4. When his DB was born when he was 8, we wanted to take him on a special trip without the baby. We took him when the baby was 4 months old. He never missed the trip and never has really said anything about being left behind because there were lots of trips he had missed, but has more than made up for them!!

When DD was born her DBs were 5 and 13, so when she was 4 months old we left her with her grandparents and she had no idea that she missed a trip because once again there were lots of trips before she was born.

I never regretted not taking the babies because the older kids really enjoyed the time they had with us and not having to share our time.

Now its our oldest who misses the trips with us, but he is talking about going back with us this year or next. His fiance has never been before and really wants to go!!

 

[grlpwrd]

My husband and I went on an anniversary trip by ourselves to WDW before and left the tikes behind. It was good, but hard the last day or two. I think it's totally up to you. You're only a bad mom if you leave him in a box with only the cat to take care of him. You do have plenty of time to soul-search and think about it. I have taken my kids as small babies though, and it was fine, so I think either way you can do it and be happy!

Not at WDW, but in Hawaii when my oldest was a little baby we left her with my grandma. She lived on the same island we were visiting so it doesn't really count as being too far away. (We went to the volcano while grandma's house was on the other side of the island about 45 minutes away.)

In all honesty, I don't think I would ever do that again and we haven't. If it's a family vacation then it wouldn't by the same without all members of the family. This Christmas I am also encouraging my sister to bring her hopefully-adopted kids (adoption is not final yet) with her.

I am the bring-one-then-bring-them-all camp, but I can understand those who have their reasons.

GL!

 

[hollyb]

It would kill my DH and I to leave our baby or child at home to go on vacation. God forbid anything should happen to the baby and you were not there. Could you live with yourself if that happend? I say the baby is your family now take baby with you.

 

[m&j'smommy]

We left DS 18 mos. with Gma and Papa when we took DD for her 4th Bday to DL, they live in Pasadena, so they brought him back to us on the last morning, we stayed at a hotel near the park. On our last morning we took him to breakfast with Lilo and Stitch and then to DCA for the Disney Playhouse show but that was all he got to see of DL. I think that DD really enjoyed the special time she got with mom and dad. Whenever she talks about DL, if DS is around she says, "AWWWW, poor brother didn't get to see all the fun, maybe when you get to be a big girl like me."

 

[kileybeth]

Go! have a blast spoiling up "your only child" for a few days!

I have 6 children and regularly leave them for their and my sanity!!!

They always appreciate the "down" time from Mom as much as I appreciate the break.

There are 365 days in a year, how many will you spend away from them otherwise?

really, do what your heart tells you but the 6 month old will never even remember you left him and you will be so excited to see him when you return you will be a better Mom for it!

Don't be quilted into a few more diaper changes and good night kisses,
JUST DO IT!

oh, and yes, to those ready to flame me, just a bit more ammunition <grin> I even left them when I was still nursing (just take the pump!) and they survived just fine.

 

[leighe]

We left DD when she was 6 months old with my mom and dad and went to WDW for a week. We missed her so much but we had a great time. We are planning on taking her to WDW in October (she'll be almost 2) and leaving New Baby (who will be about 4 months) with my parents.

My parents took us (brother, sister and me) on different trips at different times and we always appreciated the special time with Mom and Daddy.

 

[VictoriaT]

i SAY GO FOR IT!! We left our DS with his other grandma & papa when he was a year old and took DD who was 4 at the time. He had no clue! As they get older, they will remember, but not this young!

 

[justhat]

I used to be in the 'bring all the kids' camp, but then I had my son and took him to WDW at 3 and 4 months old. I still don't think I could leave him or any future kids behind, but I know he would have been much happier at home. I would have missed him too much and felt really guilty the whole trip though, so that's why I say that I don't think I could leave him behind. He's breastfed too so I don't think I'd be able to leave him if I wanted to anyway.

My daughter went to WDW at the same ages and had a great time (great for a 3 month old that is, meaning that she did not cry the whole trip and enjoyed seeing the sights and being held by mommy all day) so I thought my son would be the same way. He was not. He hated being held all day, hated the stroller, hated not being able to nap in the dark in a crib, etc.

The thing is that at home the kids were total opposites from vacation. My daughter was a very high need baby (read total crankpot all day and bad sleeper) so days at home were long and challenging. My son has always been pretty laid back, great sleeper, okay with being put down, etc. So I thought he'd be just as easy on vacation, but not at all. He missed his routine and surroundings and was very grouchy the whole trip.

Of course now he's 6 months and we're taking both kids on a DCL Eastern next week so we're trying it again. Obviously that means the trips with the grouchy boy weren't so bad. I think things will be much easier this time cause he can sit up (makes mealtimes easier for me!) and I think he might enjoy seeing characters. At least my daughter did in DL at 6 months, and while they were very different vacationers in the past I'm hoping they at least have a love of characters in common. So my advice would be to wait till your new baby is here and see how his personality is and if you think he'd enjoy the trip before you make a final decision.

 

[pweyl36]

It would kill my DH and I to leave our baby or child at home to go on vacation. God forbid anything should happen to the baby and you were not there. Could you live with yourself if that happend? I say the baby is your family now take baby with you.

Quit scaring her,there is nothing wrong with leaving a baby at home.Her oldest child will enjoy the alone time with mom and dad and this way they could just about do what they want with out worrying about STROLLERS,DIAPERS,BOTTLES,NAPS ETC.I like for my children to be indepent without always being up my butt.