How often do you go out without the kids??

[goofymom23]

We have moved around so much. We don't live close to either familes, so the only time we get is when my parents are visting once or twice a year. It is hard to trust your kids to a babysitter you don't really know so we just wiat, and do things together. Their will be plenty of time for just us when the kids grow up....

 

[Mskanga]

Dates? What's that?
Oh wait.....is that what we did prior to kids? You mean going out to enjoy ourselves alone? Yes, that's what we did back then, but it was over on May 11, 1993. Actually right after DD1 was born , since my parents were here from Spain helping out , they stayed home with the baby while DH and I went out , that's the last time!
My inlaws used to live 2 houses away , but never watched any of the kids , I asked once if MIL could watch the baby while I went to the doctor and I was told I don't babysit , I never asked again.
But then again I couldn't expect anything else from someone who didn't even call once to say , do you need anything from the store? when I had surgery on my foot and I couldn't walk for months. They used to drive by my house to go out to the store, so it's not like I was out of their way.
No we don't have dates, we don't have family around, I do have friends but I won't ask them to watch the kids while we go out , I will ask only for emergencies.

 

[dizneenut]

We rarely get to go out without the kids. DH works evenings, so we can't go out during the week. And it is really hard to find a sitter when you have 4 kids.

We are going to CP for Riddle-Con alone, though!!

 

[Kermit]

We haven't yet, but it's fine with us. Jacob is 6 months old, and I'm guessing it will be at least a year before we leave him with anyone. We never really went to a lot of places that you couldn't take babies anyway, and he's a very easy-going baby, so we basically do all the things we used to do.

We do have DH's 17-year-old brother living with us, and we try to go out at least once every other week without him. He's very reliable, so we've even been able to go out of town a few times and leave him at home alone.

 

[cati]

The last time my husband and I had a "date" was 6 years ago. My DD is now 3 and she is such a Mommie's girl that she will not stay with anyone. My DS who is 9 is ok with staying overnight with his friends. But all in all we usually take our children EVERYWHERE we go. Not very romantic, but maybe one day....

 

[cindala]

When our DD's were young, we went our maybe once or twice a year. There weren't any family members willing to babysit, and it wasn't until the girls were like 8 and 6 that we finally found a babysitter that we really liked.

Now that our girls are teens, DH and I go out by ourselves at least once a week. At first it was strange to be alone, but now we prefer it!

 

[Gette88]

Hardly ever. Only if we are invited to something and no kids are aloud. I always tell DH I want to go out w/out the kids. I'm a SAHM & could use a break. A break that never comes. Oh well, someday.

 

[disykat]

We go in phases, depending on the sitters available. Right now there aren't any kids we trust in the neighborhood and the kids from church live far enough to be a big bother. I think we've only been out once this year on an actual "date" and the kids stayed with our neighbor. - Trading with a neighbor or friend seems to work best for us. I think mostly we're just too cheap to pay anyone!

We went out more when the kids were younger and we needed it more for our sanity. We were lucky to have a teenager near at that time! Only a few more years and we can leave the kiddos home by themselves!

 

[Kteacher]

does a democratic convention count ? That was in June, and we were both delegates, so we had a night away from the kids in lovely Lowell, Ma.. We rarely go out without the kids, but we try to go on one cruise a year- we figure it's like going out on date night 7 nights in a row We didn't get to go this year, but we'll make up for it next year- we're going away for 9 days- a cruise, plus 2 days in San Juan

 

[Disneydenise]

DH and I are just beginning to date again. We have been married for 20 years and our first child was born 9 months after we walked down the aisle. We didn't have enough money to go out but I would tell my children that it is of utmost importance for you to have a date at least once a month. Our children are now 17 and 19 and they have thier own lives and DH and I are progressing along in ours but I think it would have been easier had we kept up with each other all along.
We did have some wonderful times as a family and I would do it again just with more time for each other.
I have certainly been blessed with a wonderful man,father and life.