How is everyone affording all of this international travel?

[Anonymous]

I am at the WB and we have 30 business days, which is 6 weeks. Plus we close between Xmas and new year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am at the WB and we have 30 business days, which is 6 weeks. Plus we close between Xmas and new year.

I am self-employed so can take any time off I want. Spouse is SAH.

The limiting factor for us is being a slave to the school schedule. But we have missed a number of days in the elementary years which was not a big deal. Less now in middle school.

Travel is high priority for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m more curious about how much time people have vs the cost. Between parents’ work and kids’ activities and school; how is everyone traveling every freaking break? My high schoolers don’t want to jet set somewhere for a 4 day weekend, they want to catch their breath with school work. 6 weeks off in the summer and you work in the U.S? How? No, like really. Tell me your secrets.

Same question! Someone was on here a few weeks ago saying their company gives 14 weeks of vacation. Like, where is this and what company?! I get about 6 and that feels average to generous.

Normal is one week during the first 5 years. 2 weeks thereafter. 4 weeks when you're senior.

Many (I can't say most) mandate 30 days of leave per year after your first year. 45 when you're senior. Unfortunately, companies require you take it all at once. A mix between the two makes most sense.

Wow I just can’t believe all this leave. I am a lawyer working for a private equity owned company and I have taken 9 vacation days this year so far. 6 weeks? What???

+100. I’ve never even heard of people having 45 days of PTO. Is that real?

Some organizations don't distinguish between sick leave and vacation time and leave it all in one pool. But they don't expect you to take it all annually as vacation time. And if you get very sick, 45 days isn't much time to recover.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am at the WB and we have 30 business days, which is 6 weeks. Plus we close between Xmas and new year.

I am self-employed so can take any time off I want. Spouse is SAH.

The limiting factor for us is being a slave to the school schedule. But we have missed a number of days in the elementary years which was not a big deal. Less now in middle school.

Travel is high priority for us.

Yeah, it helps when you don't have to take off over the holidays because your company is closed already- I find the difficulty with traveling outside school breaks for us is that we still need to cover the breaks. I have 4 weeks plus federal holidays and it always seems to go fast!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m more curious about how much time people have vs the cost. Between parents’ work and kids’ activities and school; how is everyone traveling every freaking break? My high schoolers don’t want to jet set somewhere for a 4 day weekend, they want to catch their breath with school work. 6 weeks off in the summer and you work in the U.S? How? No, like really. Tell me your secrets.

I'm one of the points travelers from upthread. The answer is a combination of having liberal leave policies at work, and having children who are preferably in elementary school and maybe middle. Once your kids are in high school, you are limited to winter and summer break for longer trips, and MAYBE thanksgiving for a short break.

My kids are 7, 10 and 14. I've been traveling mostly with the older two for a few years, but now that the oldest entered high school, I know the config will change. He will have commitments during spring break and will want to use T'giving break to recharge. So, I won't be planning for his travel outside of winter and summer breaks. I will switch to traveling with the younger set of kids at other times.

I’m confused… you left the youngest home while traveling with the older kids? Isn’t that super unfair? And now the oldest gets left home? You do you but it sounds like you never adjusted to having kids and full-time parenting if you’re forcing your kids to adjust to your travel schedule and leaving specific kids out if it doesn’t work for you.

The youngest is not old enough for intense international travel so he stays home with my husband. I don't have enough points to support tickets for five people, and the youngest is not fit for that type of travel yet. We usually have car trips to the beach or shortish domestic trips for all five of us at some point during the year.

I don't look at fairness as giving everyone the same thing at the same time - it wouldn't be fair to keep the older two homebound just because the youngest isn't fit for travel yet, and it is boring to make everyone function at the speed of the youngest one. The oldest will be heavily into his high school stuff in a year or two and unavailable for traveling much, and then I will begin traveling with the youngest and the middle one instead. Everyone gets their turn...

I don't quite understand the point about forcing kids to adjust to my travel schedule - if anything, they are forcing me to adjust to theirs since I have to schedule travel during their school breaks.

How intense is your international travel? Are we talking like Western Europe or hiking the Inca Trail? I can't imagine leaving one kid behind.

This is a lot more common than you think - we have grandparents in town so have always left the youngest with them while we traveled with our oldest, until the youngest was of traveling age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m more curious about how much time people have vs the cost. Between parents’ work and kids’ activities and school; how is everyone traveling every freaking break? My high schoolers don’t want to jet set somewhere for a 4 day weekend, they want to catch their breath with school work. 6 weeks off in the summer and you work in the U.S? How? No, like really. Tell me your secrets.

I'm one of the points travelers from upthread. The answer is a combination of having liberal leave policies at work, and having children who are preferably in elementary school and maybe middle. Once your kids are in high school, you are limited to winter and summer break for longer trips, and MAYBE thanksgiving for a short break.

My kids are 7, 10 and 14. I've been traveling mostly with the older two for a few years, but now that the oldest entered high school, I know the config will change. He will have commitments during spring break and will want to use T'giving break to recharge. So, I won't be planning for his travel outside of winter and summer breaks. I will switch to traveling with the younger set of kids at other times.

I’m confused… you left the youngest home while traveling with the older kids? Isn’t that super unfair? And now the oldest gets left home? You do you but it sounds like you never adjusted to having kids and full-time parenting if you’re forcing your kids to adjust to your travel schedule and leaving specific kids out if it doesn’t work for you.

The youngest is not old enough for intense international travel so he stays home with my husband. I don't have enough points to support tickets for five people, and the youngest is not fit for that type of travel yet. We usually have car trips to the beach or shortish domestic trips for all five of us at some point during the year.

I don't look at fairness as giving everyone the same thing at the same time - it wouldn't be fair to keep the older two homebound just because the youngest isn't fit for travel yet, and it is boring to make everyone function at the speed of the youngest one. The oldest will be heavily into his high school stuff in a year or two and unavailable for traveling much, and then I will begin traveling with the youngest and the middle one instead. Everyone gets their turn...

I don't quite understand the point about forcing kids to adjust to my travel schedule - if anything, they are forcing me to adjust to theirs since I have to schedule travel during their school breaks.

How intense is your international travel? Are we talking like Western Europe or hiking the Inca Trail? I can't imagine leaving one kid behind.

This is a lot more common than you think - we have grandparents in town so have always left the youngest with them while we traveled with our oldest, until the youngest was of traveling age.

I’ve never heard of or seen this before (also haven’t seen this represented in American media like movies or shows as a “norm”).

Is this a cultural thing? A social class thing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m more curious about how much time people have vs the cost. Between parents’ work and kids’ activities and school; how is everyone traveling every freaking break? My high schoolers don’t want to jet set somewhere for a 4 day weekend, they want to catch their breath with school work. 6 weeks off in the summer and you work in the U.S? How? No, like really. Tell me your secrets.

I'm one of the points travelers from upthread. The answer is a combination of having liberal leave policies at work, and having children who are preferably in elementary school and maybe middle. Once your kids are in high school, you are limited to winter and summer break for longer trips, and MAYBE thanksgiving for a short break.

My kids are 7, 10 and 14. I've been traveling mostly with the older two for a few years, but now that the oldest entered high school, I know the config will change. He will have commitments during spring break and will want to use T'giving break to recharge. So, I won't be planning for his travel outside of winter and summer breaks. I will switch to traveling with the younger set of kids at other times.

I’m confused… you left the youngest home while traveling with the older kids? Isn’t that super unfair? And now the oldest gets left home? You do you but it sounds like you never adjusted to having kids and full-time parenting if you’re forcing your kids to adjust to your travel schedule and leaving specific kids out if it doesn’t work for you.

The youngest is not old enough for intense international travel so he stays home with my husband. I don't have enough points to support tickets for five people, and the youngest is not fit for that type of travel yet. We usually have car trips to the beach or shortish domestic trips for all five of us at some point during the year.

I don't look at fairness as giving everyone the same thing at the same time - it wouldn't be fair to keep the older two homebound just because the youngest isn't fit for travel yet, and it is boring to make everyone function at the speed of the youngest one. The oldest will be heavily into his high school stuff in a year or two and unavailable for traveling much, and then I will begin traveling with the youngest and the middle one instead. Everyone gets their turn...

I don't quite understand the point about forcing kids to adjust to my travel schedule - if anything, they are forcing me to adjust to theirs since I have to schedule travel during their school breaks.

How intense is your international travel? Are we talking like Western Europe or hiking the Inca Trail? I can't imagine leaving one kid behind.

This is a lot more common than you think - we have grandparents in town so have always left the youngest with them while we traveled with our oldest, until the youngest was of traveling age.

I’ve never heard of or seen this before (also haven’t seen this represented in American media like movies or shows as a “norm”).

Is this a cultural thing? A social class thing?

Not PP, but it definitely seems common for grandparents to host their grandkids while parents are away, right? I think you are referring to the idea of taking some kids but not others on a trip? I guess yeah that seems less common, although I know a lot of people who do 1-1 trips with one parent and one kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m more curious about how much time people have vs the cost. Between parents’ work and kids’ activities and school; how is everyone traveling every freaking break? My high schoolers don’t want to jet set somewhere for a 4 day weekend, they want to catch their breath with school work. 6 weeks off in the summer and you work in the U.S? How? No, like really. Tell me your secrets.

I'm one of the points travelers from upthread. The answer is a combination of having liberal leave policies at work, and having children who are preferably in elementary school and maybe middle. Once your kids are in high school, you are limited to winter and summer break for longer trips, and MAYBE thanksgiving for a short break.

My kids are 7, 10 and 14. I've been traveling mostly with the older two for a few years, but now that the oldest entered high school, I know the config will change. He will have commitments during spring break and will want to use T'giving break to recharge. So, I won't be planning for his travel outside of winter and summer breaks. I will switch to traveling with the younger set of kids at other times.

I’m confused… you left the youngest home while traveling with the older kids? Isn’t that super unfair? And now the oldest gets left home? You do you but it sounds like you never adjusted to having kids and full-time parenting if you’re forcing your kids to adjust to your travel schedule and leaving specific kids out if it doesn’t work for you.

The youngest is not old enough for intense international travel so he stays home with my husband. I don't have enough points to support tickets for five people, and the youngest is not fit for that type of travel yet. We usually have car trips to the beach or shortish domestic trips for all five of us at some point during the year.

I don't look at fairness as giving everyone the same thing at the same time - it wouldn't be fair to keep the older two homebound just because the youngest isn't fit for travel yet, and it is boring to make everyone function at the speed of the youngest one. The oldest will be heavily into his high school stuff in a year or two and unavailable for traveling much, and then I will begin traveling with the youngest and the middle one instead. Everyone gets their turn...

I don't quite understand the point about forcing kids to adjust to my travel schedule - if anything, they are forcing me to adjust to theirs since I have to schedule travel during their school breaks.

How intense is your international travel? Are we talking like Western Europe or hiking the Inca Trail? I can't imagine leaving one kid behind.

This is a lot more common than you think - we have grandparents in town so have always left the youngest with them while we traveled with our oldest, until the youngest was of traveling age.

I’ve never heard of or seen this before (also haven’t seen this represented in American media like movies or shows as a “norm”).

Is this a cultural thing? A social class thing?

It seems like a common sense thing and they are super lucky to have grandparents like this. Otherwise you'd have to tailor everything to the endurance level of the youngest child.

[Anonymous]

Often it's cheap, depending on the exchange rate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m more curious about how much time people have vs the cost. Between parents’ work and kids’ activities and school; how is everyone traveling every freaking break? My high schoolers don’t want to jet set somewhere for a 4 day weekend, they want to catch their breath with school work. 6 weeks off in the summer and you work in the U.S? How? No, like really. Tell me your secrets.

I'm one of the points travelers from upthread. The answer is a combination of having liberal leave policies at work, and having children who are preferably in elementary school and maybe middle. Once your kids are in high school, you are limited to winter and summer break for longer trips, and MAYBE thanksgiving for a short break.

My kids are 7, 10 and 14. I've been traveling mostly with the older two for a few years, but now that the oldest entered high school, I know the config will change. He will have commitments during spring break and will want to use T'giving break to recharge. So, I won't be planning for his travel outside of winter and summer breaks. I will switch to traveling with the younger set of kids at other times.

I’m confused… you left the youngest home while traveling with the older kids? Isn’t that super unfair? And now the oldest gets left home? You do you but it sounds like you never adjusted to having kids and full-time parenting if you’re forcing your kids to adjust to your travel schedule and leaving specific kids out if it doesn’t work for you.

The youngest is not old enough for intense international travel so he stays home with my husband. I don't have enough points to support tickets for five people, and the youngest is not fit for that type of travel yet. We usually have car trips to the beach or shortish domestic trips for all five of us at some point during the year.

I don't look at fairness as giving everyone the same thing at the same time - it wouldn't be fair to keep the older two homebound just because the youngest isn't fit for travel yet, and it is boring to make everyone function at the speed of the youngest one. The oldest will be heavily into his high school stuff in a year or two and unavailable for traveling much, and then I will begin traveling with the youngest and the middle one instead. Everyone gets their turn...

I don't quite understand the point about forcing kids to adjust to my travel schedule - if anything, they are forcing me to adjust to theirs since I have to schedule travel during their school breaks.

How intense is your international travel? Are we talking like Western Europe or hiking the Inca Trail? I can't imagine leaving one kid behind.

I think their statement that “I don't have enough points to support tickets for five people” tells you everything you need to know.

Points are a currency so you budget them like you budget money. You choose if you want to spend them on one trip for five, or three trips for three, or five trips for two in a given year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m more curious about how much time people have vs the cost. Between parents’ work and kids’ activities and school; how is everyone traveling every freaking break? My high schoolers don’t want to jet set somewhere for a 4 day weekend, they want to catch their breath with school work. 6 weeks off in the summer and you work in the U.S? How? No, like really. Tell me your secrets.

Same question! Someone was on here a few weeks ago saying their company gives 14 weeks of vacation. Like, where is this and what company?! I get about 6 and that feels average to generous.

Normal is one week during the first 5 years. 2 weeks thereafter. 4 weeks when you're senior.

Many (I can't say most) mandate 30 days of leave per year after your first year. 45 when you're senior. Unfortunately, companies require you take it all at once. A mix between the two makes most sense.

Wow I just can’t believe all this leave. I am a lawyer working for a private equity owned company and I have taken 9 vacation days this year so far. 6 weeks? What???

You are getting scammed by your employer. 9 days in 10 months? That's egregious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m more curious about how much time people have vs the cost. Between parents’ work and kids’ activities and school; how is everyone traveling every freaking break? My high schoolers don’t want to jet set somewhere for a 4 day weekend, they want to catch their breath with school work. 6 weeks off in the summer and you work in the U.S? How? No, like really. Tell me your secrets.

I'm one of the points travelers from upthread. The answer is a combination of having liberal leave policies at work, and having children who are preferably in elementary school and maybe middle. Once your kids are in high school, you are limited to winter and summer break for longer trips, and MAYBE thanksgiving for a short break.

My kids are 7, 10 and 14. I've been traveling mostly with the older two for a few years, but now that the oldest entered high school, I know the config will change. He will have commitments during spring break and will want to use T'giving break to recharge. So, I won't be planning for his travel outside of winter and summer breaks. I will switch to traveling with the younger set of kids at other times.

I’m confused… you left the youngest home while traveling with the older kids? Isn’t that super unfair? And now the oldest gets left home? You do you but it sounds like you never adjusted to having kids and full-time parenting if you’re forcing your kids to adjust to your travel schedule and leaving specific kids out if it doesn’t work for you.

The youngest is not old enough for intense international travel so he stays home with my husband. I don't have enough points to support tickets for five people, and the youngest is not fit for that type of travel yet. We usually have car trips to the beach or shortish domestic trips for all five of us at some point during the year.

I don't look at fairness as giving everyone the same thing at the same time - it wouldn't be fair to keep the older two homebound just because the youngest isn't fit for travel yet, and it is boring to make everyone function at the speed of the youngest one. The oldest will be heavily into his high school stuff in a year or two and unavailable for traveling much, and then I will begin traveling with the youngest and the middle one instead. Everyone gets their turn...

I don't quite understand the point about forcing kids to adjust to my travel schedule - if anything, they are forcing me to adjust to theirs since I have to schedule travel during their school breaks.

How intense is your international travel? Are we talking like Western Europe or hiking the Inca Trail? I can't imagine leaving one kid behind.

This is a lot more common than you think - we have grandparents in town so have always left the youngest with them while we traveled with our oldest, until the youngest was of traveling age.

I’ve never heard of or seen this before (also haven’t seen this represented in American media like movies or shows as a “norm”).

Is this a cultural thing? A social class thing?

Not PP, but it definitely seems common for grandparents to host their grandkids while parents are away, right? I think you are referring to the idea of taking some kids but not others on a trip? I guess yeah that seems less common, although I know a lot of people who do 1-1 trips with one parent and one kid.

Yep that’s what I was referring to (taking some kids but not all). I’m familiar with the 1-1 trips but have never heard of a “Mom and Dad plus Sally and Rob, but leave young Jimmy home” type setup. So was wondering if it was a cultural thing maybe. Interesting!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m more curious about how much time people have vs the cost. Between parents’ work and kids’ activities and school; how is everyone traveling every freaking break? My high schoolers don’t want to jet set somewhere for a 4 day weekend, they want to catch their breath with school work. 6 weeks off in the summer and you work in the U.S? How? No, like really. Tell me your secrets.

Same question! Someone was on here a few weeks ago saying their company gives 14 weeks of vacation. Like, where is this and what company?! I get about 6 and that feels average to generous.

Normal is one week during the first 5 years. 2 weeks thereafter. 4 weeks when you're senior.

Many (I can't say most) mandate 30 days of leave per year after your first year. 45 when you're senior. Unfortunately, companies require you take it all at once. A mix between the two makes most sense.

Wow I just can’t believe all this leave. I am a lawyer working for a private equity owned company and I have taken 9 vacation days this year so far. 6 weeks? What???

You are getting scammed by your employer. 9 days in 10 months? That's egregious.

DP. Plenty of people only get 3 weeks a year and save a week for winter break. I don’t think it’s unusual and you should check your privilege!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m more curious about how much time people have vs the cost. Between parents’ work and kids’ activities and school; how is everyone traveling every freaking break? My high schoolers don’t want to jet set somewhere for a 4 day weekend, they want to catch their breath with school work. 6 weeks off in the summer and you work in the U.S? How? No, like really. Tell me your secrets.

I'm one of the points travelers from upthread. The answer is a combination of having liberal leave policies at work, and having children who are preferably in elementary school and maybe middle. Once your kids are in high school, you are limited to winter and summer break for longer trips, and MAYBE thanksgiving for a short break.

My kids are 7, 10 and 14. I've been traveling mostly with the older two for a few years, but now that the oldest entered high school, I know the config will change. He will have commitments during spring break and will want to use T'giving break to recharge. So, I won't be planning for his travel outside of winter and summer breaks. I will switch to traveling with the younger set of kids at other times.

I’m confused… you left the youngest home while traveling with the older kids? Isn’t that super unfair? And now the oldest gets left home? You do you but it sounds like you never adjusted to having kids and full-time parenting if you’re forcing your kids to adjust to your travel schedule and leaving specific kids out if it doesn’t work for you.

The youngest is not old enough for intense international travel so he stays home with my husband. I don't have enough points to support tickets for five people, and the youngest is not fit for that type of travel yet. We usually have car trips to the beach or shortish domestic trips for all five of us at some point during the year.

I don't look at fairness as giving everyone the same thing at the same time - it wouldn't be fair to keep the older two homebound just because the youngest isn't fit for travel yet, and it is boring to make everyone function at the speed of the youngest one. The oldest will be heavily into his high school stuff in a year or two and unavailable for traveling much, and then I will begin traveling with the youngest and the middle one instead. Everyone gets their turn...

I don't quite understand the point about forcing kids to adjust to my travel schedule - if anything, they are forcing me to adjust to theirs since I have to schedule travel during their school breaks.

How intense is your international travel? Are we talking like Western Europe or hiking the Inca Trail? I can't imagine leaving one kid behind.

This is a lot more common than you think - we have grandparents in town so have always left the youngest with them while we traveled with our oldest, until the youngest was of traveling age.

I’ve never heard of or seen this before (also haven’t seen this represented in American media like movies or shows as a “norm”).

Is this a cultural thing? A social class thing?

Not PP, but it definitely seems common for grandparents to host their grandkids while parents are away, right? I think you are referring to the idea of taking some kids but not others on a trip? I guess yeah that seems less common, although I know a lot of people who do 1-1 trips with one parent and one kid.

Yep that’s what I was referring to (taking some kids but not all). I’m familiar with the 1-1 trips but have never heard of a “Mom and Dad plus Sally and Rob, but leave young Jimmy home” type setup. So was wondering if it was a cultural thing maybe. Interesting!

That PP has her husband stay home with the youngest so it’s more like Mom, Sally and Rob are climbing Machu Picchu while Dad is doing a daycare run with young Jimmy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m more curious about how much time people have vs the cost. Between parents’ work and kids’ activities and school; how is everyone traveling every freaking break? My high schoolers don’t want to jet set somewhere for a 4 day weekend, they want to catch their breath with school work. 6 weeks off in the summer and you work in the U.S? How? No, like really. Tell me your secrets.

I'm one of the points travelers from upthread. The answer is a combination of having liberal leave policies at work, and having children who are preferably in elementary school and maybe middle. Once your kids are in high school, you are limited to winter and summer break for longer trips, and MAYBE thanksgiving for a short break.

My kids are 7, 10 and 14. I've been traveling mostly with the older two for a few years, but now that the oldest entered high school, I know the config will change. He will have commitments during spring break and will want to use T'giving break to recharge. So, I won't be planning for his travel outside of winter and summer breaks. I will switch to traveling with the younger set of kids at other times.

I’m confused… you left the youngest home while traveling with the older kids? Isn’t that super unfair? And now the oldest gets left home? You do you but it sounds like you never adjusted to having kids and full-time parenting if you’re forcing your kids to adjust to your travel schedule and leaving specific kids out if it doesn’t work for you.

The youngest is not old enough for intense international travel so he stays home with my husband. I don't have enough points to support tickets for five people, and the youngest is not fit for that type of travel yet. We usually have car trips to the beach or shortish domestic trips for all five of us at some point during the year.

I don't look at fairness as giving everyone the same thing at the same time - it wouldn't be fair to keep the older two homebound just because the youngest isn't fit for travel yet, and it is boring to make everyone function at the speed of the youngest one. The oldest will be heavily into his high school stuff in a year or two and unavailable for traveling much, and then I will begin traveling with the youngest and the middle one instead. Everyone gets their turn...

I don't quite understand the point about forcing kids to adjust to my travel schedule - if anything, they are forcing me to adjust to theirs since I have to schedule travel during their school breaks.

How intense is your international travel? Are we talking like Western Europe or hiking the Inca Trail? I can't imagine leaving one kid behind.

This is a lot more common than you think - we have grandparents in town so have always left the youngest with them while we traveled with our oldest, until the youngest was of traveling age.

I’ve never heard of or seen this before (also haven’t seen this represented in American media like movies or shows as a “norm”).

Is this a cultural thing? A social class thing?

It seems like a common sense thing and they are super lucky to have grandparents like this. Otherwise you'd have to tailor everything to the endurance level of the youngest child.

Yeah there's no way my parents or ILs would watch my kids (even one of them) for a week plus at a time, potentially multiple times per year. 1-2 nights is about as much as I can ask! That's great that so many grandparents to be willing though.

As for tailoring trips to the endurance of the youngest child, well, that's just part of parenting! DH has taken our oldest for skiing weekends before our younger DC was ready, but honestly daycare costs kind of prevented us from bigger international trips during those years anyway.