Would you go without the kid(s)

[wayneg]

I know. Thank you for replying!

I just think its important to spend some quality time together with my partner too and I'd prefer to do that in Florida as opposed to Europe (for a similar cost)

You need to do what is right for your family, as others have said they would do it without hesitation. To me the only quality time is family time, if we had gone away without DS when he was a few years younger we would have just been counting the days til we got home, no way could we have enjoyed ourselves leaving him, but from DS being born to him going to Uni he only spent 6 nights away from us (4 on a school trip, 1 a friends house, 1 my Uncles house)
If he had grown up staying at his Grandmas houses then it might have been a consideration but its not something he wanted to do.
You could even count on your fingers the evenings we went out without him over 18 years, if it couldn't be done as a family then we were not interested.

On the other hand it has never been like having a child, he was interested in going around art galleries/museums from around age 8 or sitting and people watching in Amsterdam etc, so always felt as though its been 3 adults than having a child tagging along.

 

[tinks_1989]

Personally no but DD is 3 and DH and I have been plenty of times before. If I went now I wouldn't know what to do with out her.

 

[Cyrano]

Not something we would consider as there will be plenty of time to holiday with out kids later . Eldest DD is 16 so I am sure she will want to holiday on her own soon .
However I suspect as long as WDW is on offer she will gladly come on family holidays

 

[wayneg]

Not something we would consider as there will be plenty of time to holiday with out kids later . Eldest DD is 16 so I am sure she will want to holiday on her own soon .
However I suspect as long as WDW is on offer she will gladly come on family holidays

Only 16 Reid, she will be tagging along a few years yet
This year Matt has had a week in Ghana, going to Madrid for a week, possibly back to Ghana for 4 or 5 weeks and still coming on all 3 of our trips.
I though once he started Uni he would go away with his friends but he wants best of both worlds

 

[1andrea]

I would agree with this, me and mrs badger go away together even if its just for a long weekend without the DD's at least once a year!

Essential and well needed!!

My DD is only 7 months so no idea what she'll be like in the future and if she'll like WDW or not (she better) but I'd totally go on holiday with out her, adult time is very important, a family is only as strong as the couple to quote a friend.

Personally no but DD is 3 and DH and I have been plenty of times before. If I went now I wouldn't know what to do with out her.

Thank you all for your replies. There are certainly some differences f opinion on this :0)

I think I need to give it some more thought but saying that I have been checking some prices just in case.....

 

[1andrea]

You need to do what is right for your family, as others have said they would do it without hesitation. To me the only quality time is family time, if we had gone away without DS when he was a few years younger we would have just been counting the days til we got home, no way could we have enjoyed ourselves leaving him, but from DS being born to him going to Uni he only spent 6 nights away from us (4 on a school trip, 1 a friends house, 1 my Uncles house)
If he had grown up staying at his Grandmas houses then it might have been a consideration but its not something he wanted to do.
You could even count on your fingers the evenings we went out without him over 18 years, if it couldn't be done as a family then we were not interested.

On the other hand it has never been like having a child, he was interested in going around art galleries/museums from around age 8 or sitting and people watching in Amsterdam etc, so always felt as though its been 3 adults than having a child tagging along.

I certainly know the feeling of counting the days down.

DD stays out one night a week with her Dad.

She also sometimes stays with grandparents during half term as I have to work. So although she doesn't stay out a lot she does enjoy it when he does.

I love family time too that's why I'm considering it carefully. If I don't opt for Florida it might be a long weekend elsewhere.

Xx

 

[tinkerpea]

We got married in disney world and so our whole trip was spent with our 3boys my mum,and dh parents!
We then was supposed to honeymoon in Egypt 2 months after but kids and my mum came!
So the next yr dh said we needed a trip alone.I choose disneyland calafornia and a wk after doing universal Hollywood area.
We Loved it! But the boys was still young 4 and 6 and I kept saying boys would have loved this/that.....

However we have been dying to get away again as we really did enjoy that time.
So it's been 5 years our boys are 9,9,11 and so after we do our 3wk trip this yr in may we will be planning a disney trip alone for next yr,."hopefully a disney cruise too" I will feel very guilty as we had to cancel the family's first disney cruise this yr due to posting, but I'm going to do it anyways then take the boys the yr after!
I enjoy my kids but I also enjoy time alone with hubby I'm a wife and a mother,and sometimes those jobs need to be done separate ;-)

 

[flortlebap]

That's exactly what I'm thinking.

We're having 3 weeks away this August as a family of three. DD will be nearly 14 at this point.

However I'd also love to do the adult things and spend some time with my partner doing things that DD wouldn't want to do.

The issue isn't going away for a week without her, the guilt is because its Florida!!

What kind of things do you without the kids?

I love shopping and people watching. I also love walking but only in Florida!!

There are plenty of things to do

We are shoppers/people watchers too. In fact, we spent a day at Millennia and two evenings at WS in Epcot drinking wine and people watching lol. It was fun to just take everything in, stop in Japan for Sake, champagne in France.... None of which we would do with the kids. You can visit Jellyrolls (over 21s) and enjoy just doing rides and attractions you know the children wouldn't enjoy. We got more done in 7 days than 14 with the kids!

Background info - our situation is similar to yours. When I met DH he had 3 boys, twin babies and a 3 y/o. I had a 2 y/I DD. So we've never had time just as a couple - there have always been six of us. The kids have always lived with us though so they are pretty close to being my own.

Anyway - I think "couple time" is especially more important when you're a step family to avoid putting pressure on the relationship. So I would say go for it. A major consideration for us is the cost too - our last family WDW trip was £10,000 in a Mod - when it's just the two of us we can go outside school holidays and stay in a Deluxe for a quarter of the price!

You have to do what suits you but I think it's totally worth it - it's a completely different trip without the kids - more relaxing, and you can do what you want, rather than what the kids want all the time. And you don't have to stop every 15 minutes for drink and bathroom breaks lol.

 

[1andrea]

Not something we would consider as there will be plenty of time to holiday with out kids later . Eldest DD is 16 so I am sure she will want to holiday on her own soon .
However I suspect as long as WDW is on offer she will gladly come on family holidays

I doubt my DD will ever say no to an all expenses paid trip to WDW either. I know I wouldn't, I enter competitions in the hope of winning the kind of trip us parents provide to our kids regularly!!

 

[1andrea]

We got married in disney world and so our whole trip was spent with our 3boys my mum,and dh parents!
We then was supposed to honeymoon in Egypt 2 months after but kids and my mum came!
So the next yr dh said we needed a trip alone.I choose disneyland calafornia and a wk after doing universal Hollywood area.
We Loved it! But the boys was still young 4 and 6 and I kept saying boys would have loved this/that.....

However we have been dying to get away again as we really did enjoy that time.
So it's been 5 years our boys are 9,9,11 and so after we do our 3wk trip this yr in may we will be planning a disney trip alone for next yr,."hopefully a disney cruise too" I will feel very guilty as we had to cancel the family's first disney cruise this yr due to posting, but I'm going to do it anyways then take the boys the yr after!
I enjoy my kids but I also enjoy time alone with hubby I'm a wife and a mother,and sometimes those jobs need to be done separate ;-)

Disneyland California cool!

I think its important to spend time as a couple too. If it was the case of my daughter not getting holidays because I chose to holiday without her all the time then that would be very different! But this is an extra little holiday for us as a couple which wouldn't impact our planned family trips.

I think its right you test the water on a cruise first to make sure its suitable for the boys just in case they hate it!

I do think ill be the saying exactly the same as you about how dd would love this and love that but I know she won't miss the shopping!!

 

[1andrea]

There are plenty of things to do

We are shoppers/people watchers too. In fact, we spent a day at Millennia and two evenings at WS in Epcot drinking wine and people watching lol. It was fun to just take everything in, stop in Japan for Sake, champagne in France.... None of which we would do with the kids. You can visit Jellyrolls (over 21s) and enjoy just doing rides and attractions you know the children wouldn't enjoy. We got more done in 7 days than 14 with the kids!

Background info - our situation is similar to yours. When I met DH he had 3 boys, twin babies and a 3 y/o. I had a 2 y/I DD. So we've never had time just as a couple - there have always been six of us. The kids have always lived with us though so they are pretty close to being my own.

Anyway - I think "couple time" is especially more important when you're a step family to avoid putting pressure on the relationship. So I would say go for it. A major consideration for us is the cost too - our last family WDW trip was £10,000 in a Mod - when it's just the two of us we can go outside school holidays and stay in a Deluxe for a quarter of the price!

You have to do what suits you but I think it's totally worth it - it's a completely different trip without the kids - more relaxing, and you can do what you want, rather than what the kids want all the time. And you don't have to stop every 15 minutes for drink and bathroom breaks lol.

That's an expensive trip

I think you're exactly right about sometimes holidaying as a couple although its not right for everyone I think its a little different for step families.

I think it will be a much different trip, more laid back and when we do go on rides one of us won't have to sit with a stranger!!

If it does happen it will be a real budget trip though:0)

 

[Ware Bears]

We've never been away on holiday without our DDs, it was never really a possibility but also we never wanted to, and this summer will be our first child-free holiday so it feels very strange. Eldest DD is off to DLP, middle one to Ibiza and youngest doesn't want to come without her sisters - although I think she would have if we were going to Disney instead of a 'boring' holiday looking at ruined castles!

However every family is different and seeing as you're all going both this summer and next so it doesn't mean she misses out on a family holiday, I don't think there's any reason to feel guilty about a short trip in February. Go and enjoy it and do all the things you can't do when DD's there ..... and just remember to play down the parks part!

 

[Vixster]

I couldn't go away and leave my kids if I was doing Disney with her being 13 you may only have a few years and she won't want to go anyway if it was to any other place I would consider it though we wouldn't have anyone to have ours

 

[CharAkaDisney]

My parents go every year without the kids, yes we are in twenties now so it's not the same in that respect. They go with friends now and have a ball. My mum loves it, she said its an entirely different experience now

 

[Zeebs]

my kids are little 8, 6 and 3 (need to update the signature) and we have no one to watch them so the longest we have done just hubby and myself is over night. This may change in as they get older as we have a few nieces that would probably love to earn some money by coming to stay with us and watching them for a few days or so.

That said no I wouldn't go on holiday without them to Florida difference to me and Europe is that I am closer if I need to get back for any reason. 2. the kids would kill me if I said I was going to Florida without them regardless if they had been the year before.

But every family is different

Kirsten

 

[Dimplenose]

We're going for the first time without the kids (kids?? they are 23 and 20 ) this October.

We are only going for a week so I think we'll be too busy to miss having them there. We have done European short breaks without them and it does make for a totally different holiday, much more relaxed not having to balance kids likes over DH and mine (my choices are often put to one side to keep the others happy.)

Funny thing is now DS works full time he thinks the money he gives me towards his keep is paying for our trip. I wonder where the money for food, electricity, petrol for lifts to the station etc. comes from?