When I was in 1st grade my parents teamed up with another family and took turns going away without the kids. So my sister and I moved in with the other family while my parents traveled and then their two kids moved in with us when those parents traveled. All of the kids went to the same 1-8 grade school so I'm sure that helped mage the logistics work. I have great memories of these swaps.

We don't travel without our kids.

Our nanny. We’ve only been away for overnights in 3.5 years (not counting two night while I gave birth to the little one) but nanny stays over and the kids love it. Our parents don’t live in the area.

Our nanny sleeps over. Neither DH nor I could relax and enjoy a couple days away if the kids were with anyone but nanny. Our parents are great and love their grandkids but they just don’t understand how fast the kids move and they’re flaky.

This summer, we will have our first week without kids since the first was born 15 yrs ago. All will be at summer camp. But for the pandemic, this would have happened two summers ago.

OP, sounds like you can afford to throw money at your problem.

We’ve taken exactly one night away since the oldest DC was born 9 years ago. Since our second child was born, we haven’t gone away at all. The number of trips alone in the foreseeable future = 0.

Some people just don’t have capable family around. That’s the case for most of our friends.

We don’t have anyone. So we don’t vacation without them. They are 5,10,12 and fun to travel with. I do a girls weekend maybe once every other year I go over for an overnight with some friends

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our next door neighbors sent their kids to sleep away camp for a week this summer and used it as a week away themselves. They’re the only ones I know who have ever done more than a night sans kids.

My kid is at sleep away camp for the first time this week and I can't even imagine traveling right now! What if something happens and they need to come home?

They sent the kids to a camp in Maine and then used the week to go to Bar Harbor alone. It would actually be easier for them to pick up the kids than if they were in DC!

Oh this is PP and I love this plan. Definitely doing this in the future when my younger two are ready.

DH and I have never taken a "vacation" together in the 14 years since my oldest was born, but my IL's who live nearby have kept the kids for other reasons, like a sibling's birth, or when DH and I both traveled with one kid for medical care. DH also worked shift work, including overnights, and so my IL's moved in with the kids when I traveled for work once, although they saw Dad too.

But I know I'm lucky in that way. My IL's are great.

That's to answer your original question.

But I've had my kids' friends come stay when their parents went away for a weekend. If you needed a break, and there was childcare arranged during my working hours, which it sounds like there is, they'd be welcome to come.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our next door neighbors sent their kids to sleep away camp for a week this summer and used it as a week away themselves. They’re the only ones I know who have ever done more than a night sans kids.

My kid is at sleep away camp for the first time this week and I can't even imagine traveling right now! What if something happens and they need to come home?

You have to have someone willing to go pick up your child in an emergency.

Well but that's easily solved, you just go somewhere driving distance that isn't further from the camp than your home is.

My Mom would come for trips of about 5 nights when the kids were small. When they got a bit older, I hired a friend's nanny to stay with them while we went on a long weekend trip for a child-free wedding. I have asked a relative who's an empty nester to stay with one kid while we took the other to a far-flung sports tournament. And, I asked a family friend to pick up our youngest from the airport and have him sleep over while we were picking up our oldest at college.

Once, a middle school parent asked me if I'd be able to host their son for a few school nights while she & her husband were on overlapping work trips in Europe. He was a great kid and we were happy to have him for a few days. My DS thought he hit the jackpot when I told him about it. Weekday sleepovers!

We do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our next door neighbors sent their kids to sleep away camp for a week this summer and used it as a week away themselves. They’re the only ones I know who have ever done more than a night sans kids.

My kid is at sleep away camp for the first time this week and I can't even imagine traveling right now! What if something happens and they need to come home?

They sent the kids to a camp in Maine and then used the week to go to Bar Harbor alone. It would actually be easier for them to pick up the kids than if they were in DC!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our next door neighbors sent their kids to sleep away camp for a week this summer and used it as a week away themselves. They’re the only ones I know who have ever done more than a night sans kids.

My kid is at sleep away camp for the first time this week and I can't even imagine traveling right now! What if something happens and they need to come home?

I had the chance to travel overseas for a week for free while my kid was at camp. I asked the camp to call my stepmom if anything happened and they couldn't reach me. She said she would pick him up if anything happened. Nothing happened and I got a much needed trip for free.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our next door neighbors sent their kids to sleep away camp for a week this summer and used it as a week away themselves. They’re the only ones I know who have ever done more than a night sans kids.

My kid is at sleep away camp for the first time this week and I can't even imagine traveling right now! What if something happens and they need to come home?

You have to have someone willing to go pick up your child in an emergency.