Would You Vacation Without Your Kids? (inspired by Snoopy)

[Chattyaholic]

I read Snoopy's response to a post, and it made me wonder if anyone besides me would consider taking a vacation without their kids. When ours were little DH and I flew to Florida to drive his grandparents home (they spent their winters there and someone in the family would drive them down, then fly home, then someone else would fly down to drive them home so they didn't have to drive that long trip themselves) and we decided to fly down a week early so we could have some vacation time. Yes, I missed the kids, but it wasn't the end of the world. It was nice to have time alone with DH, and the kids got a chance to spend some quality time with Grandma and Grandpa.

Plus DH and I would almost always spend 1-2 nights away, by ourselves, to celebrate our anniversary each year.

 

[believe]

We do not take vacation time away from the kids, but we will add trips that are just for us. Example, we don't skip taking the kids on a week vacation if that is the only week vacation we can have that year.
We are taking our first weekend away trip next month. In 2 yrs we will be going on a cruise for our 10th anniversary, without the girls.
DH and I rarely see each other, working different shifts. For us this time builds us as a couple, strengthens our marriage and our family.

 

[minniecarousel]

I think it's absolutely necessary for parents to have time away from their kids - for couple time. We didn't leave our kids for a long time when they were very little. We took a week-long trip to Hawaii when younger son was in kindergarten & it was hard for him (& for the tag-team that watched them! My mom was with them for a few days, then one of my sisiters came to the house for them - all of this pre-planned.)
As they got older, we could have left them for a week, but didn't. We almost always took a long week-end away from them though. It would be difficult if you didn't have family or close friends to leave them with.

 

[Steve H.]

Yep, we've done it once before and plan to every now and then in the future. Our next big (hopefully) trip is to Maui and/or the Big Island and we're thinking it might just be the two of us, mostly because that's a long, long way to fly for a toddler.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

I can't imagine not taking the kids with me. I would sit there worrying about them the entire time therefore having a miserable vacation. I've never even left them with a baby-sitter! I'll have plenty of time to go on vacations without them when they go off to college. It just works best for us to do it this way (no flames please)!

 

[worm761]

no. but DS goes on vacations without me!! kevins mother takes DS for a week every summer. he is the closest thing to a grandchild she has. she takes him for the week, spoils him rotten, and then gives him back. i dont know what to do when he is not around. i feel lost. i would love to go on an adults only vacation. but i dont really think i could do it. i would end up coming home early.
congrats to those of you that can. i bet it is wonderful! you have my full jealousy! LOL

 

[grinningghost]

No, DD always goes with us. But she goes on vacations without us. She went to California in 2001 with a group of students for 2 weeks and in June she'll be going to Quebec City with a school group. Somehow there's never enough money left for DH and I to sneak off somewhere - we're always paying for her to go somewhere fun. Oh well, we'll have plenty of time for that after she goes to college, which is coming up way too quickly.

 

[binny]

we have spent a total of 2 nights together away form the kids in 8 years.

Next June though we will be going to Alaska for 10 days just the two of us Im a little on the scared side but definately excited at the same time!

 

[CamColt]

DH and I occasionally get a night alone, when my parents take the kids over night(usually about 4 times a year).
However, last summer we went to WDW for a day and then on a 3 night Disney cruise. It was 5 well deserved, wonderful days. I knew they were in good hands and didnt worry at all. I think couple time is very important even when you have kids. I wouldnt do that every year, but I dont see anything wrong with doing it from time to time. And like the above poster mentioned, as long as its not to take the place of a family vacation(trust me, my kids dont lack WDW time ).

 

[snoopy]

Uhhh, I don't remember that post - was I for leaving the kids, or taking them with me?

(that answer varies from day to day for me...... )

In all seriousness, I have taken solo trips, trips with me and just DH (never to WDW, just B&B's close to our home for anniversaries, Valentine's Day, etc.), and vacations with my kids and DH. Depending on whether or not I'll be doing kid appropriate things would be the deciding factor for me. We take at least one family trip per year, and I ocassionally do a solo trip (went to DIS Con), and then DH and I will be going in May to B&B near where we live.

 

[nkjzmom]

DH and I don't take major trips away from the kids....usually it's 1-2 nights for our anniversary. My family all lives here in the same area so it's great, they come over and stay at our house. We also have regular date nights...at least once a month. It's important to keep up our relationship and show our children that we are important to each other. We also have regular dates with our kids. Daddy/daughter, mother/son, boys only, girls only. It's so much fun to nurture all of these relationships.

We compare it to a pyramid....God, then our relationship, then our children. It's so important to our family that we nurture our relationship. If you can do that without getting some alone time, that's awesome....we like to get out and be Amy and Rich sometimes!!

 

[eeyore0062]

We try to take one vacation with our DD and another, just the 2 of us. We find that it keeps the marriage fresh. Our relatives come to our home to take care of DD, so she is not out of her element when we are gone, and we set up certain times each night to call her. She does get a bit jealous when our vacation time happens to be WDW (mostly it always is--- is there anywhere else?), but she usually gets to go once a year, too. In fact, the vacation you see in the countdown below is for DH and I. Of course, it combines a working vacation (I have an interview) and pleasure (do you really think we can be in Lake Buena Vista and NOT go to the parks?) We have already taken DD out of school once this year to go to WDW and can't justify a 2nd time, especially with state testing coming up in May. She understands and is fine with it. Of course, the fact that when we move in June, she will be within 45 minutes of WDW makes it a bit easier, too!

I see no problem with vacationing without the kids, and think it is very healthy. I have never understood why anyone would be hesitant to do so .. and am glad that my parents did the same thing when we were small. It showed us that our parents loved each other as well as us and it was OK for them to have a life outside of us. OH, and they will have been married 42 years this October!

 

[gina2000]

I see nothing wrong with it....but we've never done it. I guess that's because we like to share our experiences with our child. We're older parents and have had many, many vacations alone together.

I have vacationed without my DH and my DS, though. And it's a wonderful, rewarding experience. I'm sure it would be the same with DH and myself.

Now you guys are making me think that I might like to find out! LOL

 

[suzannen]

My DH and I rarely even get a babysitter for our DD, we so enjoy spending family time together on the weekends and love vacationing together.

But, every other year, we do go away for 2-3 days to celebrate our anniversary. We always pick more adult-oriented (ie no children under 12) romantic inns and resorts no further than a 2 to 3 hour drive away. DD (whose 8 now) stays with grandma and they go shopping, go to the movies and have manicures so she likes it too (that plus the gifts we bring back!).

 

[tiggerlover]

Would You Vacation Without Your Kids?

No.

 

[JESW]

Just a different opinion....

No, I would never vacation without our kids. DD is 4 and DS is 8. The only time I've been away from DS was the two nights I was in the hospital having DD. I personally wouldn't feel right not having the kids with me but I know that a lot of people do it and that's just fine.

Jill

 

[disykat]

It would mostly depend on their ages and if family was available to care for them. (Closest family lives 400 miles away so it takes some planning!) We've gone on weekends away without the kids several times and will probably do it more as they get older.

In general for us family vacations are the rule and adult only vacations are of shorter duration and more rare. (I just counted - we've gone away for one or more nights - the longest was 3 nights - five times in in the ten years we've had kids)

 

[TiggerPiglet]

We have only went away once without our kids and that was for our 10th anniversary and it was only for one night and was close to home. We always take the kids on vacation with us. As some posters have said, kids grow up so fast. There will be plenty of time for DH and myself to go on vacation for just the two of us. Until then, the kids come along

 

[browneyes]

If I thought I could get away with it I would. My SO and I took a mini trip many moons ago when our dd was a baby. We were gone about a day and a half or so. She pitched a good fit while we were gone. She stayed with my mom. I think they bonded real well at that time.

 

[aprincessmom]

No, I wouldn't. I don't see anything wrong with others doing it, it's just not for me. My sister and her DH do at least once a year.