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

[Anonymous]

And how long were you gone? Already feeling guilty about wanting to plan a trip without them, but DH and I (well I) really need it. His parent have offered to take them during the trip.

[Anonymous]

9 months. Four day ski weekend. Pump came along. Dc at my parent's house. It was awesome and no issues for DC who adores grandparents.

[Anonymous]

Two and a half. I was gone three weeks-- it was two weeks of work and a week of vacation.

[Anonymous]

1.5 and 3.5. We would have gone sooner, but the in-laws were a little nervous about it the first time.

[Anonymous]

I think I was in fifth grade or maybe middle school when my parents went to Hawaii for a week. Grandparents watched us.

[Anonymous]

10mo. It was nerve-wracking but we talked to our family twice a day (mid morning and after bedtime) and it was a much needed break!!

[Anonymous]

we went for a weekend getaway (2 days) when our daughter was 9 months. Then, when she was 15 months, we went on a 3-day weekend. At 2.5, we went away for a whole week.

My parents watched her at our house all 3 times. That last trip was 3 years ago - we clearly need another one!

[Anonymous]

8 months, we were gone for a week. It was really nice to get away with DH but I was Definetly ready to come home by the end of the week. Currently pregnant w/ number 2 and we are planning a trip when DC will be 3.5 and 9-10 months. That's if we can talk the grandparents into watching both of them for a whole week

[Anonymous]

I was in fourth grade the first time my parents went on vacation without me (skiing, Vail). It's interesting how times have changed.

[Anonymous]

This has been covered ad nauseam on the general parenting board. It's only a matter of time before the "my child is 10 and I've never left him because I love him more than you love your child" posters chime in, followed closely by the "if you haven't taken a child-free vacation by the time your child is 6 months old you will end up divorced and resentful" posters.

We have done weekends away about every other month since DS was four months old, and we did a 4-day west coast trip when he was 9 months old. The weekends are usually related to my DH's job, and we've got awesome grandparents lined up to babysit.

[Anonymous]

My kids are 6 and 3 and we will be doing our first night (yes, one night) away from them next month. We've gone away separately, but never together before. I'm looking forward to it, but know that I will be sad to leave them in the beginning.

[Anonymous]

7 months for 2 nights.

[Anonymous]

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."

[Anonymous]

If you need it, do it.

[Anonymous]

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.