How old were your kids when you took your first vacation without them?

[Anonymous]

5.5 months - we went away for a weekend
8.5 months - we went away for a full week

Both were awesome and we totally needed it. We left DC with grandparents so we didn't really worry much at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids will be 4 and 1.5 when we go away for a week this July. We have gone away overnight once before. The lack of time away has been mostly a function of not having anyone local to take care of the kids combined with not wanting to spend the money for an additional vacation for DH and I apart from the money spent on our yearly family vacation. It has had nothing to do with not being "ready."

That should be DH and me.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

First overnight - #1 was 10.5 months. She was an atrocious sleeper, and psychologically I needed a good reason (our anniversary) to justify asking someone else (my Mom) to deal with it.

First work trip was 4 days at 20 months, then 6 day vacation with DH at 22 months.

Kids are now 3.5 and 1, and we haven't gotten away yet, but that's more due to logistical issues than not being ready (it has been a BUSY work year.) But we'll hopefully be getting away soon, and this summer the 3.5 year old will be spending 4-5 days with each set of grandparents without Mom and Dad. I'd be perfectly OK with them taking the 1 year old as well, but that's a lot more work and a little beyond the grandparents comfort level at this point.

[Anonymous]

10 months. 5 nights. I was ready to come home after 4 nights, but it was a much needed break. My parents stayed with DD.

[Anonymous]

A weekend for a wedding @ 4 1/2 months, then a week @ 6 months. Stayed with in-laws + nanny. Went for 10 days @ 20 months + another ten days @ 30 months. Trips away are now much shorter as oldest is nearly 8 + less tolerant of such absences.

[Anonymous]

Our kids are 13 and 10 and we've never done it, mostly because we have no one to leave them with.

This summer they are going to sleepaway camp for two weeks and DH and I will stay at home and enjoy meals out, movies, less scheduling, etc. - I'm really looking forward to that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A weekend for a wedding @ 4 1/2 months, then a week @ 6 months. Stayed with in-laws + nanny. Went for 10 days @ 20 months + another ten days @ 30 months. Trips away are now much shorter as oldest is nearly 8 + less tolerant of such absences.

Ten days. Wow, that is a very long time for a vacation away from your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our kids are 13 and 10 and we've never done it, mostly because we have no one to leave them with.

This summer they are going to sleepaway camp for two weeks and DH and I will stay at home and enjoy meals out, movies, less scheduling, etc. - I'm really looking forward to that.

Kids are 7 and 9 and we haven't done it yet either, for the same reason. Next summer they may spend a week with their uncle in New England, though.

[Anonymous]

DC1 was about 18 months for first long weekend, then about 1 week when at 3YO. The main problem is that local grandparents can't handle the schedule any more, so we haven't been on vacation alone since DC2 (now 18 months) was born.

[Anonymous]

Almost 3 and 16 months. My mom stayed at our house with them. Gone for a week (out of the country).

[Anonymous]

5 days. Kids were 7 and almost 5.

[Anonymous]

Just did this last week. My kids are in K and 1st. It was very relaxing -- only three nights away but completely recharging. We did wait a long time but don't find our kids to be that taxing. I actually don't think it is something we need to do very often -- they are growing up so fast and both of us missed them a lot on the trip. (That said, sleeping in and having a lot of sex is definitely nothing to complain about!)

[Anonymous]

DC1 was about 18 months for first long weekend

This makes me feel better...MIL keeps pressuring me to go out of town for the weekend with DH and let her watch DS, who is only 6 weeks old. She's been insinuating that I am a helicopter parent/too overprotective for not being comfortable with it and I was starting to think that maybe I was...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids will be 4 and 1.5 when we go away for a week this July. We have gone away overnight once before. The lack of time away has been mostly a function of not having anyone local to take care of the kids combined with not wanting to spend the money for an additional vacation for DH and I apart from the money spent on our yearly family vacation. It has had nothing to do with not being "ready."

That should be DH and me.

Ditto. Except kids are 4 and 5.

[Anonymous]

4 months for 5 nights. DC stayed with my mom and I almost couldnt get on the plane. All was fine when we got to the beach! We've been going away for extended periods ever since. Having said this we always plan at least 2 extended vacations (5 nights or longer) with DC every year and will not take a long vacation at the expense of spending one as a family.