Would you?

[tyniknate]

Knowing that we are all pretty like-minded around here, I'd like to propose a question. It's one that has been going back and forth in my brain for some time now and I just can't come up with my opinion on it.

Here goes......

Would you plan a WDW vacation, knowing your college-age kid would not be able to attend?

 

[jennynwdw]

Yes! Why not? My sister and I just took a mini vacation without our kiddos or husbands. (Our kids are 6 and under)

 

[tyniknate]

I think I will have trouble with the guilt of being in WDW while he is in school and can't go with us. DH and I have been to WDW without the kids, but never taking some and leaving others at home. Am I being silly?

 

[mommy2mrb]

guess the question is, how would DS #1 feel about not going?
I'm sure you're not the first parent to come up with this issue Danielle, hope you all can figure out what's best!

 

[morgansmom2000]

I would do it, but I know DH wouldn't like it, and Morgan would be peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeved. I can see both sides of it. I wanted to go last November when she was in CT for the week, but DH wouldn't hear of it. Good luck with that decision!

 

[JJ&JHsmom]

I have done it and will be doing it again. DS will be in college when DD and I go in November, this time he is a little upset but understands his classes come first.

 

[dsneprincess]

I honestly don't know. I will have to face this someday, but I don't know what I will do. My DH STILL talks about all the trips his younger brother took with his parents while DH was in school. The trips were all to "new" places where DH has still not gone, though.

 

[wdwmickey]

Rachel and I have gone to Disneyland twice without Sarah and we will be going again in May. I took each of them on a "mommy & me" trip to WDW for their 13th birthday. I also took Sarah to NYC without Rachel last year. I think it is fine to take your kiddos on trips by themselves. I know that my girls really love the trips with just us

 

[PrincessNancy96]

LOL!!!

Nope.... but that is our family.. we have had deep discussions about that...and all 3 kids said they don't want to go without the others... (unless of course they are married and then my youngest said that that was their fault and it was party time for him!)...
Doesn't make our way right or someone else's way wrong....

You just have to do what is best for your family.. Good luck with your decision....

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I would have severe mom guilt, even if they said they were ok with it.
DH and I have gone alone, I have never been so lost!! We had no one telling us where the run to next. I felt guilty being there without them though.
DH and I took DD by herself once with the promise of singleton trips with the boys. Those haven't happened yet, because of financial contraints. DS16 and I went alone once to run a race, we may do that again.

I don't know, I guess if the kid left behind was ok with it, then you could go for it.

 

[ForMyBoys]

I would only do this if my son didn't want to go to Disney. If he wanted to go we would ensure we booked our vacation when it fit in his (and everyone else's) schedule.

 

[morgansmom2000]

You know you wanna come in November, Danielle...

 

[mommy2mrb]

You know you wanna come in November, Danielle...

pleasssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[JJ&JHsmom]

pleasssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

I agree with Jennifer and Lisa, yes please join us!

 

[fireplug]

We all have to face this decision eventually. We have done it both way, took trips w/o college age child and made plans to allow him to go with us. And had fun both trips. With them both married and having kids its very difficult to get everyone together.

Squid

 

[tyniknate]

I talked with him this weekend and his answer was that he would be "moderately disappointed".

Stick a fork in me.....I'm done. I can't imagine going to WDW knowing he is sitting at school thinking about the whole family being together....all but him.

Would you allow your child to miss any amount of college for a trip like this? It really will be a once in a lifetime trip for us, with my mom, sisters, MIL and SIL and her family. What if I could bring him along for part of the trip and then have him fly home to school, so he would only miss 2 or 3 days of college? Is it acceptable to miss college for something like this? Or is that a total No-No.

There's just no simple answer to this and someone will feel bad in the end.

 

[PrincessNancy96]

He would need to check all his syllabus schedules and make sure there are no tests... but there are kids that never even go to class.. So depending on his schedule he may have a bit of time to go...

DD told me last week that there are sometimes only 10 kids in a class that is supposed to have 30.... some kids just skip a class either sick, don't want to go.. any number of things... We told DD we paid for it, you better go.. LOL (not that I can control it). But she is actually enjoying the college style education...

Good luck with your decision.. I do know of some families that have flown their college student down for XX days of vacation and flew them back..

 

[tyniknate]

That makes me feel a little bit better. The thought of him at school and all of us at WDW would have guilted me so badly that I probably wouldn't enjoy the trip at all (if I could have even gotten to the point of being able to book it without him)! If he could come down with us on black Friday and then maybe go home on Wednesday....it might make things easier for all of us! I will definitely keep that in my head as a possible option

 

[PrincessNancy96]

Check his school calendar... maybe he has an extended break at Thanksgiving...

 

[tyniknate]

Check his school calendar... maybe he has an extended break at Thanksgiving...

I did, but his break happens the week before Thanksgiving. We can't leave until black friday because of my and DH's work situation. His school returns to classes the Monday after Thanksgiving. Why can't anything ever work out simply and easily?