Would you leave kids at home and take only one kid?

[Nancyg56]

I would. I think family vacations take on a different meaning as the family gets older. I remember when my niece was in high school and on a softball team. We had planned a trip to Plymouth and didn't her team make it to the championship rounds! Holy decisions! No way would she join us, and how do you cancel a trip when you have others who have been waiting to go?

Looking back, that trip was pretty darn special. My oldest son had joined us and my sisters youngest two were there. WE had always been the entire family, so focusing on the two younger ones, and getting to enjoy my adult son's interactions with them as well as with us was so much fun. Debbie was not unhappy to be left behind.

OP- you know your teens. If they are okay with this, and it seems like they are, I would plan to spend that sopeciual time with your young one. There will come a time when you leave the little one behind in order to accompany your older child. I think it all works out.

 

[seb65]

I have and am going to do it again. At first, I felt incredible guilt. But, my oldest 2 are in an activity that constantly has them going away and the youngest hadn't gone anywhere. I asked them both before I booked, and explained that they would both go on the next trip. I was only booking a long weekend and we were only going to Magic Kingdom. They both like Star Wars and were relieved we would not go to the Studios. As soon as they heard we weren't doing THEIR faves, they were fine with it. It was a very special time. The oldest two were at camp and had many tales of their own.

 

[eastendlights]

My daughter and I have been taking trips together for the past five years because my husband and son have been Disney'd out. The two of them take a boys trip and we have our girls trip. We do all vacation together other times during the year but we enjoy our separate trips just as much. (And sometimes more because my daughter detests sharing a bathroom with her brother and I wouldn't want to either-Lol. In fact last summer when we all vacationed together she petitioned to share a room with me and have my son and husband share. DH put a quick stop to that!)
Go and have fun and don't worry about it especially since the older two are having their own fun experiences. No guilt needed!