Taking a Short Trip Just the Two of Us—Is That Okay?

[Anonymous]

My husband and I are planning a six-day trip this August—just the two of us, no kids. Our teens are 18 (girl), 16 (boy), and 14 (girl), and we’ll be leaving them home alone for this length of time.

We also have a 16-day family trip planned in July, so we’ll be spending plenty of time together as a family.

I’ve been thinking: is it “wrong” to want a trip without the kids? We love our kids dearly, and they’re responsible and trustworthy—which is why we feel confident leaving them home.

I know it’s important to nurture our relationship as a couple too, and this seems like a healthy way to do it.

Has anyone else done something like this? How did it go for your family?

[Anonymous]

We take a 3-4 day trip just adults every other year. Kids are 6 and 10. It's totally fine. They hang with local grandparents and love it.

[Anonymous]

Not wrong to want a trip just the two of you, but to me 6 days is a long time to leave them alone. The 18 year old ends up being responsible for the 14 year old, which is too much for almost a week. I'd probably be fine if it were just the 18 and 16 year olds, though even then it seems a bit long to me.

[Anonymous]

Of course there's nothing wrong with this, but I wouldn't leave them home unsupervised! Even if they are "good kids".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course there's nothing wrong with this, but I wouldn't leave them home unsupervised! Even if they are "good kids".

This. It’s too long to leave them alone but sounds like a great idea otherwise!

[Anonymous]

Don’t do this. There will be plenty of time in a few short years for this. Or, get a trusted adult to stay with them, or farm them off on to a relative farther away

[Anonymous]

The trip sounds great but a bit long to leave them home alone IMO. Since the youngest is only 14. Is there family support nearby- someone who could look in on them regularly? That might be different. My older teens would probably ignore the younger one a bit and/or not keep general tabs on her. I’d also worry about them having friends over (especially the youngest potentially being around an iffy situation she shouldn’t).

Sorry- am just thinking the typical 18 and 16 year old when parents are out of town. Even some good kids might push limits or break the rules (or their friends will). But- ultimately you know your kids best.

[Anonymous]

It's not wrong to want to go but I would not leave them home alone.

[Anonymous]

6 days with a 16 year old and a 14 year old? Absolutely not.

[Anonymous]

If the 18 and 16 year old are responsible and truth worthy I see no problem with it

My husband and I take long weekend trips (2-5 days) every 3-4 months and started this when our youngest was 16. We do however have a camera in our house to check in. The camera faces the front door/hallway of our apartment

[Anonymous]

6 days isn't a short trip

Who is driving your 14 year old around or keeping track of what she is doing for 6 days? That is too young to be completely unsupervised. What is the plan if there is an emergency or even something low level like the 16 year old or 14 year old gets sick?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the 18 and 16 year old are responsible and truth worthy I see no problem with it

My husband and I take long weekend trips (2-5 days) every 3-4 months and started this when our youngest was 16. We do however have a camera in our house to check in. The camera faces the front door/hallway of our apartment

I think this is right. 16 for the youngest is a good threshold. I have an almost 17 year old and just this year we started leaving him sometimes for a weekend alone, if needed. (He has younger siblings.) He can drive, he's responsible, etc. I would not leave him in charge of his younger siblings. And I would have never left him home alone at 14. And I wouldn't leave him for 6 days.

[Anonymous]

Leaving a 14 year old with two other teens for a week is the crazy part of this. Not the trip generally.

[Anonymous]

My 18yo says she can handle it, and that we shouldn’t hire someone. Activities for my 14yo would be over by then, so they’d just be hanging out at home. The kids are generally responsible, and know what to do in case of a emergency, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 18yo says she can handle it, and that we shouldn’t hire someone. Activities for my 14yo would be over by then, so they’d just be hanging out at home. The kids are generally responsible, and know what to do in case of a emergency, OP.

Right, I have an 18 yo and a 15 yo. My 18 yo would love nothing more for us to leave for a week and to have the house to himself. He is also a good kid and I wouldn't worry about parties but no thanks on that. He will be off to college soon enough with all of the freedom. I don't need my younger ones exposed to that now. I remember what I did when my parents left us when I was that age... we were good kids too. Nothing bad happened but we did things they should never find out about.