Inspired by another post - Vacations without kids

[Alicnwondrln]

i wish
i have asked dh to go away for a weekend without the boys and its always the same
no

 

[minkydog]

By the time our youngest could be out of the house DH will be 58 and I will be 56! We will be on AARP by then! LOL! We take our couples vacations now while we are still healthy and young.

I'm right there with you, man. By the time I get my youngest out of the house I'll be drawing Social Security. One of the downsides of having kids late in life, i suppose. And DH has a serious chronic illness, so we need to make hay while the sun shines, ya know My older kids understand, sort of. They know how hard life is and I make a point to take them places too (like Omaha and Huntsville ) I'm sure they will understand more when they are adults.

 

[MichelleVW]

I notice people say, "I like my kids so we vacation with them." I like my kids, too and they know it. My older dd also understands that it's important for Mom and Dad to have time alone to remember and refresh why they are together.

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I notice that too and it bugs me. I like my kids and enjoy them too, but that doesn't mean that I can't go away for the weekend without them.

If people don't want to leave their kids that's fine and althought I personally don't agree with it To each their own, but the "I like my kids so I don't leave them" implies (to me) that those of us that sometimes get away without them don't enjoy our children!!

 

[DaisyD]

I notice that too and it bugs me. I like my kids and enjoy them too, but that doesn't mean that I can't go away for the weekend without them.

If people don't want to leave their kids that's fine and althought I personally don't agree with it To each their own, but the "I like my kids so I don't leave them" implies (to me) that those of us that sometimes get away without them don't enjoy our children!!

Exactly. I love my kids and enjoy vacationing with them. I also love my husband and enjoy vacationing with him alone. There is such a huge difference in vacations without the kids. We go to nicer places to eat without worrying if there is something on the menu for the kids to eat. We can wake up late, go to sleep late, linger in bed, go back to bed ;o), go out dancing, relax in the beach, totoally unwind and enjoy ourselves alone. Kids are great, that's why we have 3 of them. Husbands are also great! LOL!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

By the time our youngest could be out of the house DH will be 58 and I will be 56! We will be on AARP by then! LOL! We take our couples vacations now while we are still healthy and young.

Agreed!!! DH and I had our kids in our 30's. By the time our kids are grown, we will also be close to social security age. I want to vacation while I'm still able to wear a swimsuit and not scare people away.

 

[DisneyPhD]

I see both sides of this coin pretty well. There has been many a times when we didn't want to leave DD. She went with us on our 10 year anniversary trip (to WDW) when she was 2 years old. We didn't want to leave her then, so we didn't.

I also don't like leaving my babies or toddlers because they are breast feed and need me.

I can also see KristinBelles' point that if DH doesn't get much vacation time, to spend it away from the kids wouldn't be really fair. When I was working I didn't like to go out so much because I was away from the kids more then I wanted to be already.

Also I think if the kids were older and in school full time and away with friends or activities often, a family vacation time to be together would be even more important.

In the past I haven't felt the need to take a vacation with out my kids. As the years go on and our family gets bigger I can feel the need more.

Family vacation are a lot of work. Sure they are lots of fun. I love them. I love sharing, going places and trying new things with my kids. Still it is a lot to manage. We got home last week and I am exhausted. Weeks of planning ahead of time, weeks of recovery (cleaning, putting things away etc...) Most of the work is done by me, the mom.

I don' think people who never take a vacation with out the kids are better then those who do. I must admit even if other people also don't think that, sometimes the implication is made, or at the very least some of the statements do rub me the wrong way.

As I have said before, we haven't taken one yet. This does not make me any better of a parent then those who have. I do feel the need now (as does DH). I must admit I think I find it more important since I am a SAHM and never really get a break or vacation. Also my kids are really lucky that my DH is home a lot and has a lot of time off that we spend together as a family. I am really looking forward to our 3 nights at WDW just the 2 of us. At this point I need it. I feel a little bad about it too (as I know I will miss the kids.) I know they will be fine. However we are not doing this trip instead of taking the kids, it is an extra one. They get to go to WDW 2 other times in 2007 so I think they will be fine. (Man I love AP's and DVC.)

At this point I do feel that taking a vacation with just DH will make me a better mother because of the benefits to my own mental health and our marriage.

 

[Kimmumum]

My 2DS's are almost 13 and just turned 9 and we have only left them for a weekend once. My inlaws used to (years ago when we were actually talking) question why we took the boys on vacation. They thought the boys should stay home because "who takes their kids on vacation?". Anyway, my husband is going to run the Goofy in 2008 and we are going to go without the boys. We figured because of the early mornings, early to bed times, not really going to the parks (usually we go commando from start to finish when we go to the World) etc we figured they would be really bored. So they are staying home and we don't know what we are going to do with ourselves. It will be weird to be their with out them but I'm sure we'll survive

 

[jesszac610]

We usually take a summer "kid-free" for about 4 or 5 days, visiting a friend of ours in Fort Lauderdale. This summer is my big 40 and I'd like to visit WDW sans children but everytime I think about it, I get some serious pangs of guilt!!

 

[Bob Slydell]

We've yet to do a long (e.g. week or more) trip without the boys, but we do long weekends and 3 to 4 day trips without them. They also go to my parents every month or two for a weekend and for a longer trip in the summer, so they do some "vacationing" without us as well.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

none - we got those in before we started a family - time is too precious now, we concentrate on making family memories while we can. I would probably do something like an overnight, but no real vacations.....

we do nights out without her, that seems to be enough for us...

(just the way I feel - I don't judge others views on this - and don't think it is a better or worse issue...)

 

[JVL1018]

My MIL died right before our first baby was born, my FIL is not able to watch our kids for longer than a few hours-hes 80 years old and not in the best health.
My Mom died 2 years ago-and before that she worked-she died soon after retiring, figures. I dont see my father.
My brothers and SIL;s and DHs brothers and SILs all work.

So no, there is no way DH and I can go on vacation alone together, but that is okay with me-
I was married for a long time before we had kids and I had many alone trips with DH-and we will have them again when the kids get older

I think it would be my choice even if we had someone to watch the kids-Id go away for a long weekend with DH in a heartbeat, but vacations are for the whole family for us.

My SILs have watched the kids overnight or for a weekend for us when we have a wedding or something that we will be out really late for-(and we do enjoy having the house to ourselves or staying at a local hotel as we did recently for my husbands HS reunion)but its not a regular occurance at all.

My SIL who likes to take our kids the most lives 2 hours away so its hard. If she lived closer, I am sure there would be a lot more sleepovers!

I do go away with my girlfriends for a long weekend and DH works from home so that I can leave.
DH goes to the fire convention every year with my brother and some fellow firefighters for a few days, so he gets away kidless as well.

 

[ndelaware]

We too are older. We married late, had kids later, and when they graduate HS we will be in our mid 50's. But we had 10 years without them. We went to London, Alcapulco, Hawaii, etc. as a couple so I guess we feel we have had our chance to do that.

To the person who said it was hard finding something her kids will eat in better restuarants, fortunately our girls have always liked "good" foods. Vegatables and salads are their favorites. However in the past couple of years they have discovered filet mignon and Delmonico steaks.

 

[DaisyD]

To the person who said it was hard finding something her kids will eat in better restuarants, fortunately our girls have always liked "good" foods. Vegatables and salads are their favorites. However in the past couple of years they have discovered filet mignon and Delmonico steaks.

That would be me that has trouble finding food for my DD. She has food issues and will eat very few foods. My two older kids ate anything and actually preferred filet mignon and lobster! They were very easy to take out anywhere. We ate out at finer restaurants every Saturday night when they were younger. This DD eats mac and cheese! LOL! Also my DH and I married when I had a 3 y/o so we never got those vacations "out of the way" before kids came along. We've always had kids.

 

[ndelaware]

That would be me that has trouble finding food for my DD. She has food issues and will eat very few foods. My two older kids ate anything and actually preferred filet mignon and lobster! They were very easy to take out anywhere. We ate out at finer restaurants every Saturday night when they were younger. This DD eats mac and cheese! LOL! Also my DH and I married when I had a 3 y/o so we never got those vacations "out of the way" before kids came along. We've always had kids.

Luckily mine are not into lobster, yet. LOL!

We go to a great restuarant in Philadelphia alot and they will send someone to the local Wawa for a hot dog for your kid if he doesn't like what they have on the menu.

If we were in your situation, having children right away, I am sure we would be looking for "couple" time too.