Single moms vacationing with kids.....any tips?

[PRINCESS VIJA]

I'm not a single mom, but I have to say that a few years back, DD then 9 and I went on a trip to WDW. I was nervous initially, but I prepaid the dinning plan, prepaid as much as I could because I didn't want to be left without any money if I was robbed, lost my wallet, etc.

What actually gave me courage was thinking about all the single mom's out there, having fun with their kids. It gave me courage to do it too.

It was a great, fantastic trip, and I wish I could do it again!

 

[StitchBuddy]

I hope you have a blast!! I think you will have an awesome time. I took my then DD12 and friend to Disney and we had a great time. It was so much better without my DH tagging along, much less stress!! I don't know why anyone would think it wasn't doable. When I read you subject I thought you might be taking little ones. Have fun!

 

[happily single]

Your friends are totally closed minded. If you are capable of raising them on your own, taking them about town, food shopping, malls, carnivals, etc by yourself why would they think that vacation is any different?

I've taken my three kids-one of which has developmental delays-on vacations every year, several times a year forever. We have driven from New England to Florida alone twice. The last time we actually were in the middle of those horrific tornadoes that hit North Carolina.

Pack your bags. Ignore your friends and take lots of pictures!

 

[MyManGoofy!]

I have been a single mom all my son's life and we have traveled quite a bit in those 21 years. In fact, his first trip out of the country was to Mexico when he was 7. No matter where you travel - obviously, be safe. Don't flash cash/credit cards. Be aware of your surroundings. It is not necessary to let people know you are traveling as a single parent. Use common sense and enjoy the time spent! It is gonna go faster than you can imagine.

As for the "what if" scenarios - it is no different than stuff that could happen in regular every day life. My son always knew that if something happens to me - he would be in charge of getting help. As an only child of a single mom- my son matured pretty quickly and had a pretty good grasp on responsibility from a pretty early age. I used to feel a little guilty about this but seeing how well he is doing away at college - I now know it was good for him in the long run.

 

[Robinrs]

I don't want to hijack your thread, but I have a question that goes along with this topic. I'm not a single mom, but I've been toying on taking my DD8 to WDW for a long weekend and here is my hold up.....what if something happens to me while we are alone. I mean like, I get sick, fall on break my leg/arm/ankle, any number of things come to mind. How do you get over that fear?

I fell one time in Universal and had to be sent to the emergency room. My son came with me. The rest of the trip I was in a wheelchair. He pushed me around and we had a ball. The hotel sent us food and gave him a golf game and a radio to play with. He was about 9 when that happened.

Crap happens, like the PP said don't play the what if game. You'd be surprised how resilient you both are.

 

[hereyago]

OP: you've got this!!!!!!!!!

Plenty of single parents and military wives do this all the time, as well as married folk who's spouse doesn't like to travel.

Since my DD12 was 4, we have taken our trips together. We've been to WDW, about 4 cruises, Washington D.C. for a weekend trip via train and Oahu.

I'd love to one day take her to Europe as I went a couple years alone before she was born.

Why do your friends think you are crazy? do they think you should wait to find a 'man" that will help you? or do they play the what if game in their heads? life is too short for all that.

I have 1 friend who was brought up with the notion of you can't do anything without a man and she still thinks it. she thinks women shouldn't be alone in a hotel room , she isn't ALLOWED-that's right I wrote allowed-to go to her home town by her DF and her DH alone with the kids, only 4 or 5 hour drive, because "something" may happen. AAA and cell phone plus common sense go a long way.

Even here where we live, she hasn't taken them anywhere, zoo, amusement park unless it's with her husband or a friend, never alone. one time her husband was going to take them to a museum, saw he had to pay for parking and decided against it. ok, that's cheap and mean because the DD knew they were going. but the wife doesn't have what it takes to do things by herself. i hope her husband doesn't die while the kids are young and he is 51 because she won't be able to do anything and that' s pathetic. plus teaching her dd you can't be alone or you have to have someone with you to do stuff.

she is flabbergasted that I have done these things with dd. but our dd's especially need to see that they can do these things when they get older as well. I love to travel even before I had DD, I want to instill in her that love for travel and meeting different people with diverse backgrounds, that can only be a good thing.

and you know what? i think the people who think it's crazy, wish they could do it themselves but don't have the confidence or they could just be party poopers.

have a great time!!!!!!

 

[hereyago]

I don't want to hijack your thread, but I have a question that goes along with this topic. I'm not a single mom, but I've been toying on taking my DD8 to WDW for a long weekend and here is my hold up.....what if something happens to me while we are alone. I mean like, I get sick, fall on break my leg/arm/ankle, any number of things come to mind. How do you get over that fear?

You can't play that game, life is too short to miss out on opportunities to make memories, because of "what if's". You always want to have the kids prepared for anything and your DD is 8, so she could handle calling 911 or calling the front desk,etc. or being able to phone home and let them know what has happened, just as if you were at a grocery store.

You have to stay confident. And honestly, WDW was the first trip I took with DD on land and it was so easy. stayed on property, used their transportation. I didn't leave my common sense at home, but at the same time, I wasn't walking around in fear.

You would have a great time!!!!!!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I was divorced when my kids were 4 & 3. I started taking them on annual camping trips by myself when they were 4 and 5. Once, my ex-mother-in-law told me that she wished I would wait for another adult to go with me, and I told her if I did that I would never go anywhere. I couldn't afford much else than camping, but we would go for two weeks, and I treasure that time with the kids.

I say go for it.

 

[golfgal]

I don't want to hijack your thread, but I have a question that goes along with this topic. I'm not a single mom, but I've been toying on taking my DD8 to WDW for a long weekend and here is my hold up.....what if something happens to me while we are alone. I mean like, I get sick, fall on break my leg/arm/ankle, any number of things come to mind. How do you get over that fear?

Same thing you would do if you were home alone with your 8 year old, call 911 or a neighbor (or at the hotel the hotel staff). I can say that that though never crossed my mind in all of my travels with the kids. You just deal with it. If you have fears like this all the time, maybe counseling would help??

 

[FredinFL]

I've gone away many times with just my two girls, we have a great time. It's really no different than any other time you've just had your girls with you without any dh. Have fun, enjoy, relax!!