Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When people start using paid parental leave to travel like this, that’s how you know it’s nothing to do with recovery and bonding and instead just extra time off at the expense of the company and other employees. It’s not a good look.

I literally know no one who has done this (sounds like hell IMO) but really, what's it to you where they spend their parental leave. Plenty of people take their newborns to visit the grandparents, etc. during that time because once you're back at work it becomes a lot harder to take time off. MYOB.

It is our business. We all pay for long paid parental leaves.

So no travel at all during maternity leave? Not even a week at Rehoboth? The whole family is grounded?

Is it recovery or a paid vacation? This wasn't an issue back when leaves were 8 weeks because no one felt like traveling. But now that we are funding 20 week leaves for people, they are essentially on paid vacation for the last 12 weeks of it.

Will the newborn be over 8 weeks?

We had a good time in Iceland with an almost 1 yo and 4 yo. It’s a relatively short direct flight, it’s not hot in the summer, and everywhere is kid friendly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When people start using paid parental leave to travel like this, that’s how you know it’s nothing to do with recovery and bonding and instead just extra time off at the expense of the company and other employees. It’s not a good look.

I literally know no one who has done this (sounds like hell IMO) but really, what's it to you where they spend their parental leave. Plenty of people take their newborns to visit the grandparents, etc. during that time because once you're back at work it becomes a lot harder to take time off. MYOB.

It is our business. We all pay for long paid parental leaves.

So no travel at all during maternity leave? Not even a week at Rehoboth? The whole family is grounded?

If you are dead set on traveling to Europe in August, go north!! I'd pick Stockholm over any place with a beach. As the previous traveler noted, most places have no where to cool off. Think about how miserable it is here when you try to get your kids strapped in a car after it's been sitting in the heat. If there's only AC in the hotel, you may as well stay home in a bigger space. Good luck!! I wouldn't go solo if you paid for the entire trip. Signed, earlier poster whose traveled to Europe over the summer for business trips and wilted in the few extra days I spent there outside of my AC-less business meetings.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When people start using paid parental leave to travel like this, that’s how you know it’s nothing to do with recovery and bonding and instead just extra time off at the expense of the company and other employees. It’s not a good look.

I literally know no one who has done this (sounds like hell IMO) but really, what's it to you where they spend their parental leave. Plenty of people take their newborns to visit the grandparents, etc. during that time because once you're back at work it becomes a lot harder to take time off. MYOB.

It is our business. We all pay for long paid parental leaves.

Anonymous wrote:Have you considered the loony bin? That’s where I’d recommend you go if you’re thinking of traveling to Europe in the summer for vacation with a newborn.

+1

Anonymous wrote:When people start using paid parental leave to travel like this, that’s how you know it’s nothing to do with recovery and bonding and instead just extra time off at the expense of the company and other employees. It’s not a good look.

I literally know no one who has done this (sounds like hell IMO) but really, what's it to you where they spend their parental leave. Plenty of people take their newborns to visit the grandparents, etc. during that time because once you're back at work it becomes a lot harder to take time off. MYOB.

I've done this many times with my kids! They were varying ages between 6 months - 7 years old

We have done (each of these were a home base then did day trips and side trips from there):
Munich
Copenhagen
Galway
Brussels
Barcelona
Bergen
Stockholm

Would highly recommend all- let me know if you want specifics on any of those and happy to make a detailed post for you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spain!

It is easy to avoid major time zone changes because they eat late and you can sleep in. Take advantage of siesta. Also a very child welcoming culture.

Or Portugal. Park it on their beaches for 2 weeks. Agree on the sleep late, enjoy the beach in the afternoon, and the towns come alive at night.

August in Portugal? That’s the busiest time, with drunken Brits all over (even smaller, quieter areas are being invaded) with temps of 35C on occasion. No way would this work well with an infant.

How newborn is this baby going to be? I can’t imagine this being fun for anyone.

When people start using paid parental leave to travel like this, that’s how you know it’s nothing to do with recovery and bonding and instead just extra time off at the expense of the company and other employees. It’s not a good look.

How newborn is your newborn? Are you going to be waking up two to three times a night?

When we traveled with babies, we had so much luggage- car seats, strollers, extra clothing, diaper bag etc etc. It might be easier to travel north somewhere in the US or Canada where you can throw everything you need in the back of your own car.

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thanks for all these great suggestions! I know it’s going to be hot so leaning towards a northern/mountain location. And like the idea of renting out a house at a base location.

Like a lot of other people, August is when we have the most travel flexibility before school is back and we both have work flexibility + maternity and paternity leave. And I think traveling with a newborn is so much easier than traveling when they start walking.

Thanks again.

Why don't you look at Cottage Country north of Toronto? There are lots of beautiful properties near lakes.

Anonymous wrote:Have you considered the loony bin? That’s where I’d recommend you go if you’re thinking of traveling to Europe in the summer for vacation with a newborn.

This. There are places in the US you can go and the kids will have just as much fun.