If you could, would you leave 1 year old home?

[Aliceacc]

Agreed. The OP asked what "YOU" would do.

I would bring all my kids to Disney World.

I can't begin to decide on anyone else's parenting choices.

 

[brooke789]

My husband's first trip to WDW he was 9, his brother was 5 and his sister was 1. Their grandparents kept the one year old while his parents took him and his brother. I can definitely see why they did it. The two older boys were able to do a lot more without having to accommodate the 'baby' and he remembers how much he loved it!

 

[Derby]

Nope, we're a "all in or all out" family. Plus, we've taken a 1 year old and she had a blast. She loooved the characters at that age.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

Compromise and bring your mom too.

Don't feel guilty about not bringing the 1 year old. If you don't I am sure they will have fun with Grandma. I do think the older boys deserve one on one time with mom and dad without the one year old.

 

[THREEBOYSPLUSONE]

We did leave our youngest son home when he was one. At the time he was our foster son but that isn't why we left him. We also had his 3 yr old sister who had so many issues and we were told by her therapist that WDW would be the worst place to take her. We didn't feel right taking him and not her so we left them both go to respite and took our other 3 sons who were 6, 7 and 9. I felt bad not taking them but am still very thankful we didn't. This way we got to spend time with our older sons having fun and making memories that 9 years later they still talk about. For us it would have been a disaster if we had taken the 3 yr old because she would have had constant meltdowns and screamed most of the time. We still have the youngest son and he was finally adopted last year and it hasn't affected him that he didn't go with us. We are working on getting him there as he would love it but money is an obstacle right now.
While we do believe in doing things as a family sometimes it is best for the rest of the family to not take everyone.

 

[blessedby3]

We have never left any of our kids behind either. Our youngest took her first trip at 3 1/2 mos and has been 5 times in her 5 years. I think the younger the easier
Once you have a second or third, fourth, etc. they have to be taken to the siblings games, practices, dance classes, etc. and so they are already used to not having a great schedule. (or at least that is how it is for us...Im not hiring a sitter so that the youngest dosent have to get off her "schedule"). We are a busy family and all the kids go with the flow at home or on vacation.
Our kids as babies or toddlers have always been great to travel with to WDW or anywhere. They ride in the stroller (nap there if they need to) and move from place to place with us as we go.
I have precious pictures and memories of all the kids at WDW as babies, toddlers, and preschoolers and wouldnt trade that for anything.
Even at 3 mos, dd loved the shows and characters and the business of her surroundings while at WDW.
I know that none of my kids will look back at old pictures and say "why didnt you take me to WDW when you took my brother/sister?" I would hate to have to say...you were too much trouble to take
The first trip we took without all our kids was this past October. My dd23 had gotten married in July and they couldnt get off from work after just being off for their Honeymoon. It was very hard and sad for me to be at our favorite place without one of my kids...and she was 23!! I cant imagine being there without one of my littles.
You have to do what you think is best for your family, OP. We can only give our opinions...but you have to do what you find best. This is a topic that will be very divided.

 

[EmilyJ517]

Well, we brought my DD for her 1st birthday (and also DS who was 3.5) and it was a nightmare. She hated the heat, hated the stroller, hated napping in the hotel room, hated the characters. It was a stinker of a vacation. We also took them again for her 2nd birthday (I know, gluttons for punishment) and we had the best time of our lives.

I wanted to take DS for his 5th birthday for a long weekend, just him and us - but DH didn't want to, he says we travel as a family, so it has turned into a week long thing. I admit, I was kinda looking forward to a non-stroller, non-diaper weekend But we'll have fun.

I think either decision you make is ok - its ok to want to give special attention to the older ones, especially as they've probably sacrified that attention a lot in the last year. If my parents offered - I'd probably make them take all the kids and spend my weekend at the pool bar!!

 

[lmcmanus1795]

To each their own. I guess I am one of the horrible parents that left my 14 month home. We didnt make the decision lightly and thought about it for a very long time. Yes we missed him dearly and at times felt like we should have brought him but when it was all said and done I am so glad we made the decision to keep him home. We had a great time and the grandparents spoiled him rotten. I have no regrets and he holds no grudges either. We just pledged we would take him when he was older too and we have 2 times with a 3rd coming in May. Just remember, no matter what you decide you are doing what is best for YOUR family and do not worry about what others think and enjoy your trip.

 

[luvmy2babies]

You'll have to do what you feel is best. Everyone is so different as you can see some could, would and have and others could, wouldn't and haven't and still some others could not, would not and don't even consider it a family vacation otherwise.

I have not. It's just me and the two of them and we always travel together so far. Not saying I would not do it. I just wouldn't do it for Disney World. I might if I do that trip to the Americal Girl store I'm considering for my daughter.

One thing to do if your older children know about the trip might be to ask them how they might feel if the baby doesn't go. I have a 9 year-old and a 3 year-old. For our trips they were 7 years-old and 10 months, 8 years-old and 21 months old (Sea World) and 9 years-old and 2.5 years old.

Someone mentioned him staying home for our last trip and she immediately screamed NO! Our first trip when he was 10 months was a surprise and the first thing she did after she stopped screaming was hug him and tell him he was going to Disney World. But I will say she is not into the things he cannot do yet. So I don't have that issue.

 

[Sugar Jones]

I personally couldn't do it, I have a hard time going on a date with dh without the kids lol , but I see no problem with other's that choose to do it.

I'm sure the baby will be well looked after and loved while you are gone. If you think it's what will work best for your family than go for it, and don't feel guilty. Have a great trip

 

[SweetMissy]

No way! 2 reasons, still breastfeeding and a 1 year old is too young to be away from for a week. I just couldn't do it. IMO a child that age is easier than kids who are older. Our baby is 17 months old and we leave in 10 days....I think he'll be easier than our older 2 because the older ones argue and fight with each other....siblings! Personally I would take the baby and leave the other kids, lol....kidding....take them all.

 

[SpartanMommy]

No way!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I would not leave a child at home.

But I also prefer not going with a child in diapers and/or in need of a stroller.

So, in this case, I'd just wait.

 

[capeseal]

On one hand, I can see the advantage to having just the older kiddos, especially if you were planning to hit the rides with your older boys that the 1-year-old cannot ride.

Personally, we wouldn't, but we only have 2 kiddos who are only 3 year apart so I don't have the same experience with your family dynamic. FWIW, both of my kids have been at around 10 months and 18 months. They were ridiculously fun and easy and adapted readily to the schedule changes. (And it would have been impossible to leave them because they were still nursing.) I'd also be concerned with separation anxiety since there tends to be a resurgence around 15 months for most young toddlers. So, if baby was your only, I would absolutely take him along. (We don't have to lug much more for baby than we would for ourselves since baby stuff is small, but we are light Disney packers anyway.) But I understand that you are uncertain because you are considering the needs of your older kiddos at Disney.

 

[jennylyn_b]

I would not leave my child behind. For us we just wouldn't do it. We would miss her too much and it wouldn't be as much fun. We went plenty before we had her but she's our family now and Disney wouldn't be the same. That's what we would do. It doesn't make us right or wrong just how we are! Good luck.

 

[ThreeBeans]

Nope. Wouldn't do it. We're leaving next month for a 9 day extravaganza and the baby (11 months at that point) is coming too. We're a family. We travel as a family. We make allowances for each of our family member's needs.

I wouldn't leave the 8 year old home because he has a peanut and soy allergy and is difficult to feed in public. I wouldn't leave the five year old home because he has asthma and bringing a nebulizer around is a pain in the neck. And I wouldn't leave the baby at home because she's a baby with diapers and other irritating things.

(Not judging people who do differently, this is definitely one of those 'what works for your family situations', just explaining my rationale.)

I also know that I couldn't be separated from my baby that long. She's still a little thing who nurses and needs her mama. I'd spend the whole trip missing and wanting her and feeling terrible. No bueno!

 

[scoutie]

I wouldn't, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't. Every child is different, every family is different, what each family can handle is different, etc.

I know I got judgment for celebrating my tenth anniversary in Mexico while leaving the kids with their grandparents for six days. Did wonders for my marriage, the kids bonded with their grandparents, and I refreshed my mom batteries (I'd never left them overnight in eight years).
I agonized about the decision to leave them, and almost backed out. The kids had such a blast, they didn't miss us a bit.

The bottom line is that you should imagine the trip with your toddler and without. Think about the temperment of your toddler, how you work as a family, how easy going/challenging your toddler is and make a decision

Nobody should feel bad about making a careful decision about their family's needs.

 

[HHMcG]

For me it would depend on how often we go to Disney.

If you go often and know your youngest will get to go again soon and just want to focus on the older kids this trip - I could do it.

We have been going to Disney every other year and it is a huge event for our family. And on that schedule I couldn't leave one of the kids behind and have them miss out on Disney at that age. Yep, it's harder with more kids, but that's our family.

Last trip my kids were - 6, 4 & 9mo. This trip they will be 7,6 & 2.

 

[Spunky946]

Personally I can't imagine leaving a child home when we were going on a family vacation. Our first trip with the kids ds was 4.5 and dd was 8.5 months and in a lot of ways it was a lot easier then it was this last trip when ds was 8 and dd 4. We had a great time, but there was a lot more arguing then when they were younger.

I think a baby is so much easier in a lot of ways. You plop them in a stroller and go. Dd slept a lot in the stroller and did not argue which ride was next.

Ultimately you need to make the decision based on what is best for your family. It will work out and I'm sure you will have a great time.

 

[Mama Who]

We are all perfectly cheerful to tour in different configurations- we don't have the "everyone goes or nobody goes!" mentality. That said, a week is longer than I would be happy voluntarily leaving a 1 year old. Although at 18 months we did leave DD for a long weekend. Took her teen-aged brother to Disneyland for a special event and non-baby friendly trip.

Part of why we were happy with that choice is that we'd just done a week as a whole family at her birthday. We really enjoyed the park with a baby and rider swap was a hit with her big brother.