How often do you go away without your kids?

[Anonymous]

Never. It’s just not who we are. We traveled as a family. Our kids are grown now and we have plenty of time to travel with just us.

[Anonymous]

Our kids are three and nearly one. We have never been able to go away with out them. We have a nanny now, and she is open to watching them while we are out of town. We are planning our first trip away (a long weekend) in the next few months as a test run, and if it all works out well we will be off to Italy for a week for our ten year anniversary. We will pay through the nose for this luxury of course, but it's well worth it to have the ability to go away. We are planning to have my parents come "babysit" during the kids' nap time for a 2-3 hour chunk so our nanny can be off duty for a few hours. That's about all my parents can handle.

[Anonymous]

Never. Kids are 15 and 11. Would have liked to when they were younger, but now it would feel like a waste of precious family time. Oldest will be moved out of the house in a few years.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I both travel for work but very rarely are we both away at the same time. With both of us working I think we'd feel guilty going away on our own and we don't have anyone who could take care of our kids for more than one night. It would certainly be nice to get away but I assume that will come later in life. We have taken vacations with our kids where we will bring a sitter so we get a good amount of adult time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm single, so I go away for maybe 3 weekends or long weekends per year without my daughter. I could also theoretically take a longer trip when she's with her dad for summer vacation, but usually I just chill here. When I'm away, she's with dad. (or at sleepaway camp now that she is old enough.)

Maybe you could have your in-laws come to visit and hire babysitters to help them out during the day?

She should pay for parents airfare and more money to pay babysitter! Ludici.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm single, so I go away for maybe 3 weekends or long weekends per year without my daughter. I could also theoretically take a longer trip when she's with her dad for summer vacation, but usually I just chill here. When I'm away, she's with dad. (or at sleepaway camp now that she is old enough.)

Maybe you could have your in-laws come to visit and hire babysitters to help them out during the day?

Yes. This. If it's too much for the grandparent, get them help. We have grandparent watch and then hire a sitter/nanny or ask other family cousin, etc. to come and help out but not spend the night. You get the reassurance of a grandparent and the grandparent does not end up totally exhausted.

[Anonymous]

Get a babysitter OP. Both sets of grandparents and siblings are states away. We have a 1x a month date night sitter who has stayed overnight a couple times in the three years we've had her. I trust her with my children's lives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a babysitter OP. Both sets of grandparents and siblings are states away. We have a 1x a month date night sitter who has stayed overnight a couple times in the three years we've had her. I trust her with my children's lives.

PP here. Like some others mentioned, even if they were closed, who is to say that the grandparents would even be available or willing, right?

[Anonymous]

Both DH and I travel for work every other month or so, and obviously the other parent just takes over child care. I know it's not vacation, but it kind of quells my "travel" bug when I get the flight and hotel and dinners out for work.

I do miss the long luxurious vacations DH and I used to take, but now I'm content with a long weekend away (we do have family who will watch, but not for a while week).

In a couple of years hopefully traveling with kids will be enjoyable and then before we know it the kids will be gone, and we'll be back to solo vacations. It's a season.

[Anonymous]

Nope. We don't have willing family close by, so I doubt it will ever happen, but it also doesn't really bother me.

[Anonymous]

We have a 15m old. We went to Ireland and brought both grandmas so we got a few date nights. Then we just went to Spain with our best friends who have also have a toddler. We rented a house together and switched off going out- moms night out, dads night out, then each couple had 2 date nights. It honestly worked out so great.

[Anonymous]

We've gone away once in 10 years of parenting. it involved flying grandparents in to babysit. Won't happen again anytime soon/until kids are old enough to stay home alone.

[Anonymous]

One time we went away for a long weekend. That was 4 years ago. We flew my mother in to town for a week and then we flew out for a long weekend. Now my kids are teens and tweens and we feel like the clock is ticking before ods leaves for college. Going away on a trip without them is not on our radar - we have so many places we want to take them to before they grow up!