Taking all of your minor children on vacation together

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We only have one kid but I would find it very odd to travel often with one child and not another. I could see doing special trips one on one occasionally with each kid, so they could each experience traveling alone with a parent and getting their full attention. But you'd have to be thoughtful about not being biased about this, which I think can happen a lot in multi-kid families. I grew up with several siblings and my parents did more solo travel with the older kids, because I think they viewed it as a break for themselves (mom goes on a trip just with the eldest daughter while dad holds down the fort with the younger kids, or vice versa). But what this meant is that I was always left behind, and those trips didn't happen when I was older. And of course I noticed that, though I don't think my parents realized it.

OMG I'm literally laughing out loud. You have one kid. When you have more than one kid, check back with us about what you would and wouldn't do.

[Anonymous]

I love to travel. I go on family trips with all three children and sometimes take only 1 or 2 kids. DH comes on 3-4 vacations with us and that is when we do the all kids. I also travel with friends.

I know some people who just don’t like or don’t prioritize travel. They still go on at least one vacation per year. I don’t think I know anyone who doesn’t travel together as a family for at least one trip per year.

When kids get older (teens), they may not want to go or have their own commitments with sports, school or internships. Some people leave the younger kid behind.

I don’t work so I basically have unlimited time and unlimited $ to travel. I know that others have limited time and money.

[Anonymous]

I mean, our family only does trips together. But that's because our kids don’t have very specific interests. If one of them ends up loving scuba diving and the others don’t, I could see do individual vacations.

I wish I had the ability for DH and I to get away alone together. That hasn’t happened for 10 years.

Fwiw, my family was middle class growing up and only did vacations every few years. We spent a lot of time together, just at home. Growing up that way, I don’t understand why people want to vacation every year - it was not a regular part of my childhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have 3 kids and have taken as many “individualized” trips with them as full family. But very frankly it’s because we have the resources to go on several trips a year. Otherwise I wouldn’t jet off to Paris with only my daughter and Montana with only my older son etc.

Appreciate your honesty. It’s about resources. Most people take one vacation maximum, and everyone goes together. Done.