Who else has never taken a vacation without the kids?

[Mom to Will and Finn]

We aren't able to do more than one vacation a year (well, this year the kids and I and possibly my mom will do a small one at the end of the summer), so we've never taken a vacation without the kids. I'm not sure if I could handle it, anyway.

Am I alone?

 

[disneydreamer98]

Absolutely wouldn't dream of taking a vacation without our kids! Family time is far too important to us due to my DH job demands! I would be completely lost without my boys!

P.S. see that you are leaving in 2 days! Have a great time and tell Mickey that we will be on our way soon!!!

 

[8 Ears]

Oh no you are not alone! We just canceled a Disney Cruise. We had gone as a family for our 15th Anniversary back in December and took the boys. Decided since we had taken them for that we were going to take one for us. It was not until Aug. 2006 and canceled it last week after we had been miserable thinking about them not being with us. They would of stayed with their Gram in which they spend lots of time with anyway.

Now we are planning on returning to WDW in June 2006 as a family!

DH and myself now feel much better.

Oldest one graduates in 5 years so we will have plenty of time once they are gone.

Just how we feel, Mary

 

[Merriwind]

Couldn't imagine it! We only have one (DD7) and to be honest, we don't do much without her. I have friends and my Dsis who think I'm crazy, but I think it's been over a year since we went out to lunch or dinner without her. (I'm homeschooling this year, so no lunches out while she's in school.) I think it's because she's an only, but we feel like it's leaving her out if we were to leave her with a sitter. When we move to FL, we'll be near my parents, so maybe that will be different...

But, no, you are not alone. We couldn't imagine a vacation without our DD.

 

[cmrules]

Just got back from a 5 day trip to the world without the kids. We had a great time! Missed the kids a ton, but still had fun. My husband and I feel that it is important for us to do things as a couple and that the strength of our marriage will benefit our kids. This of course may not be what everyone needs. We also have a ton of family around to help with the children.

 

[Sheaboys]

We are in the process of planning our 10Th year Anniversary with the kids in Disney World. We would not want it any other way. I can't imagine, leaving the kids for a week in Mass. with us in Florida. Plus my parents live in Florida, so they will see them for a day or two, and the fact that my parents and my in-laws all work, it is not like they are going to take their vacation time to watch our kids. Our kids are young, 6, 4 and 2, and we just love our family time.

 

[MATTERHORN]

I am with you! I could not imagine and would not take a vacation without my kids. They are 4 and 2 and go everywhere with us. And the thing is, I don't mind it at all and neither does DH!! If I wanted to keep traveling alone with DH, then I wouldn't have had kids yet. I don't go anywhere without my kids except for a few occasions when they are with DH. I am glad this was posted because in my daily life lately, I was beginning to think I was the only one that didn't mind being with my kids all the time. Hope you all have wonderful trips!!!

Andrea

 

[PoohBearLovinMama]

We've taken short weekend trips without our Dd. Dh actually took me to WDW for my first time in Sept 2004 for a weekend. And we are planning another weekend to NYC soon. I'm sure we'll still get away (probably just weekend trips) since it's important to us to have our alone time once in a while to reconnect as a couple. We do want the big family vacation each year to be just that, our whole family. I couldn't imagine taking a week or two long vacation to WDW without Dd.

 

[Magic2000]

When I was growing up, we ALWAYS took a family vacation EVERY year. DH's family never took vacations. So when we had our children, I wanted to continue the tradition of a week away as a family - no phone calls from work, no problems at all!! Almost all of our family vacations have been to Disney!!

DH & I do usually go away for one night for our anniversary every year! Last year, we were able to go to San Francisco (for DH's work) for four days. It was really a lot of fun - and yes, we did miss the kids terribly! But, we did have fun!!!!

I always treasure my family time!! They grow up so fast (my DDs are now 23, 19, and 9)!

 

[tmfranlk]

You're definitely not alone. I can't imagine doing anywhere without DD. It is hard enough having to work 4 hours a day (and even then she's home with Daddy) let alone be gone overnight for more many nights. DH and I will never travel without DD until she is grown and on her own, but even then she could tag along.

Besides, DH won't go to Disney (or travel anywhere for that matter ) with me so I have to have to have someone to tavel with me.

Matterhorn, my mom always used to wonder the same thing. She was always sad when summer was ending because she enjoyed having us around, while every other mom she knew was counting down the days until the kids were gone.

 

[Bugsmom73]

We have really never been away from our kids for more than a couple of nights and that is only the eldest for 2 occasions, once when her brother was born and once when we were potentially moving to Tampa and we needed to go look. DS came with but DD stayed with my IL's. DD would be crushed if we left her to go to Disney. We may see if my mom can watch the kids one night at our house so DH adn I can have one night away but both of my SIL's don't understand. DH and I do want time alone but right now it is just not feasible.

 

[Catrin]

We went for four days in October of 2003 without our kids.

WDW was not really the plan, but I found cheap plane tickets to Orlando, then a code for AllStar Sports... so Disney it was.
It was different without them.... we got to hang out at ESPN at the Boardwalk, we didn't have to wait to see characters......

It was a very relaxing weekend..... but we did miss them. Now DH has had enough Disney, so I am taking my 10 yr old for 4 days in June.

If I have to take my kids one at a time... so I get to go every two years, then that is what I will do!
Catrin

 

[Mom to Jordan]

We have never done more than a two night week-end and never more than 4 hours away. We have just never been comfortable doing it. WDW is for our "family" trips and none of us go with out all of us. It's just what we decided. Now DS is almost 13 and HE is going off for a full week this summer and it is about to kill ME!!

Jordan's mom

 

[tlbwriter]

We haven't taken a trip without DD since she was born (almost 6 yrs ago), other than one overnight trip to go to a concert. If we were going to take a vacation without her, it wouldn't be to WDW - I'd feel too guilty! I'm not one of those people who says "Oh, I'd never!" because I certainly would/will when the time is right. It just hasn't been right yet.

 

[lclark0621]

We have not taken a trip without our DS & we would NEVER want to!

DH & I waited 7 years after we got married to have our DS. We did plenty of travel alone before DS came a long.

Now we are a family & will travel as a family.

Our family time is to important for DH & I to even consider traveling without DS!

My DH has to travel a lot for work & he is absolutly miserable when he is on the road. He would never want to travel for pleasure without DS.

 

[mrsg00fy]

we would never even consider it. some of our most treasured and precious memories are of us and our kids in disney, especially as babies. they are only young once. we took the oldest for the first time when he was 8 months old--and there has been no turning back. we have gone down to wdw probably 20 times. the kids are now 9 and 6. we took the younger one for the first time when he was 4 months old. it just never occurred to us to consider going without the kids, or that they would "slow" us down. there is not a more kid and baby friendly place that i know of to take the family for a vacation.

 

[BeccaGrace]

We just had this conversation because all of our friends and other parents we know have gone away without the kids and luckily dh and I agree that is something we'd never want to do...I get sad when my oldest has a sleepover at Grandma's, no way I would purposely go away without her! Our kids bring us the most joy we've ever experienced and they only add to the fun of a vacation...If I went without them I'd spend all my time thinking of how much more I would enjoy it with them there.

 

[Marseeya]

I went on my honeymoon without my DS, who was 3 at the time and it was so difficult! But, hey, it was my honeymoon and I got over it

DH and I have gone away for 1-2 days at a time without the kids, but never really a full-blown vacation. We might get a chance to go to WDW sans kids when my husband's company sends him to a conference. I'll probably feel pretty guilty, but I can't take them out of school, so I've got to weigh the pros & cons.

 

[blessedby3]

We have never taken a vacation without our 3 children. The oldest is 15 and I cant imagine going somewhere without them. They grow up so quickly, there will be plenty of time for vacation for DH and myself when the kiddies are grown and we will still probably want them with us. I tell my oldest all the time, please come home after college. I cant imagine her not being home with us. UGGGGH! I am one of those people who would rather have the kids with me than to find a babysitter or leave them with family. I always look forward to summer vacation and hate for them to go back to school in the fall. Never do I say," I cant wait for school to begin!". As for taking them out of school for a vacation, NO PROBLEM. Family time is SO IMPORTANT in todays society and I have no problem with my kids missing a week of school for a great bonding family time vacation. We have done it before and will do it again in November with a 10th grader, 5th grader and 1st grader. The work is done before we leave and we have a Fun time!!

 

[dzneelvr]

What would a family vacation be without half the family Our DS goes off to college next year, so it may be an "imposed" vacation at some point without him (just DD, DH, and I), but it wouldn't feel the same. When the kids are small you actually look forward to some alone time, but when the years pass and it is reality that DD and DS may not be going with us at some point....I'm sad Enjoy the family vacations while you can, the years go by much too quickly