When you travel, who watches your kids?

[Anonymous]

Our oldest is 8 and DH and I have been away once for a weekend together without kids in that whole time, which I think is ridiculous. We don’t have family close by, but even so, they aren’t willing to come and stay with our kids for a couple days, so not an option. We have a great part time nanny but she has a teenaged son and isn’t interested in doing weekends or overnights either.

All of our friends have started traveling again without kids this summer and I am feeling incredibly jealous that they can just get away. All have family who comes to help out, even if they don’t live close by they will travel in.

So what do others do, especially those without family support? Are we resigned to just never go away again?

I know we could just find a random sitter to stay, but my kids definitely take time to warm up, especially my younger one who is almost 4.

[Anonymous]

We drop DD off at my parents. That means we drive 6 hours to them and fly out of the airport closest to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We drop DD off at my parents. That means we drive 6 hours to them and fly out of the airport closest to them.

+1 I drop my kids off with my parents when I need that. I've also sent my au pair to my mom's house so my au pair can help but not go over hours, but obviously that won't work for OP given her nanny's son. We have also brought our au pair with us, which may actually work for OP if she's getting a second room for the nanny anyway; maybe the teen son also would want to come. And then, of course, there are resorts with onsite child care or readily available babysitting. We recently went to a Hilton Head area resort and got a babysitter down there for 4 hours every night, which was plenty of time to have a long pleasant dinner and some pool/beach time.

[Anonymous]

We don’t go away for long vacations without our kid. I know some people do but it’s not like everyone does it. If you don’t have family and you really want to go then you need to pay someone. Does your Nanny have friends that might want to? Do you have a regular date night sitter?

[Anonymous]

I bet your Nanny would do it if you offered her a lot. You need to make it worth her while.

[Anonymous]

I don’t travel without my kid. I think most people don’t.

[Anonymous]

Our families live in Europe and Asia, so every time we fly we take the kids, since we go to visit them and naturally want to do it with the beloved grandchildren. This leaves very little room for non-family travel. We haven't actually done that. Our parents are aging and our kids are teens and tweens, so there will come a time in a few years, when we'll be free to travel just the two of us and not have to worry about childcare.

[Anonymous]

We have never been away without DS since he was born 8 years ago. It’s not ridiculous—it’s reality for those who don’t have capable family. We do a lot of awesome family trips and traveled extensively before children. We will occasionally take days off from work while DS is in school to have uninterrupted time together.

[Anonymous]

We always call in a grandparent, but one time we did sleepaway camp for a couple weeks and traveled at that time. We did have a grandparent on call as an emergency contact for that as well, however, with a power of attorney (we were abroad).

[Anonymous]

Our next door neighbors sent their kids to sleep away camp for a week this summer and used it as a week away themselves. They’re the only ones I know who have ever done more than a night sans kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t travel without my kid. I think most people don’t.

Same. You must run in different circles, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t travel without my kid. I think most people don’t.

Same. You must run in different circles, OP.

+1 when they’re a little older budget for sleepaway camp. That’s what some of my friends do.

[Anonymous]

This is not as common as you may think.

Dh and I do adult trips but separately, not together. I do 2 girls trips with my friends a year and Dh usually does a conference and a guys trip.

We rarely do date night let alone go away without kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our next door neighbors sent their kids to sleep away camp for a week this summer and used it as a week away themselves. They’re the only ones I know who have ever done more than a night sans kids.

My kid is at sleep away camp for the first time this week and I can't even imagine traveling right now! What if something happens and they need to come home?

[Anonymous]

We have never traveled together without our kids. We both travel alone sometimes for work, but otherwise we do things as a family. We like it that way. I know some couples like to get away, but it's just not for us. I don't like to be away for long periods from my kids.