2 plus Moms, travel with just one?

financialdiva

Have you ever traveled with just one child and left the other at home?

I want to attend my cousin's baby shower. We are super close, and i really want to go. It would be a short trip getting in Friday afternoon, leave Sunday afternoon. I am thinking of bringing DS2 bc he will still be nursings, leaving both boys home with DH is a tad much and obviously he would be a lap infant and free anyway. My mom and grandma will also be traveling with me so I wouldn't be doing it alone. DS1 would be home with DH.

DH says go and leave DS1. My family all wants me to bring DS1. I don't want to bring him, and I feel awful! I can't say it's bc I don't want to buy a ticket, even though that is very much one of the big reasons, bc they will come back with, I will pay for it.

I just don't want to travel with a three year old and disrupt his routine for such a short trip! Plus, even though I will have my mom with me, who is super helpful, it's still going to be a ton of work to travel with a toddler, versus just the infant.

So, how would you handle this? What would you say??

itsmevkb

I would just take the one.  I'm like you, I would think it was too expensive and too much work to bring both and, it's not like a three-year-old is going to have a super fun time at a baby shower, not to mention the toll the travel will take.

Cooper81

Just tell them that you and your H have decided that you will only bring the baby, you don't really need to give any further explaination, but if you want to say that your H wants to take the opportunity to have some good one-on-one time with DS1.

LoCarb

Has Lil Dude gone on any school field trips? When one parent travels in our household we explain like it's a field trip. The SAH parent offers to have a fun wknd  (citing example of park, baking cookies) that babies will not enjoy. This is usually enough for us and DD1 is ready to shove the traveling parent out the door.

To address to your fam why you are only bringing DD2-I would mention it's easier to travel and you don't want to distract from the shower.  I agree it's much easier to travel with an infant.

ETA:

financialdiva

LoCarb:

Has Lil Dude gone on any school field trips? When one parent travels in our household we explain like it's a field trip. The SAH parent offers to have a fun wkndnbsp; citing example of park, baking cookies that babies will not enjoy. This is usually enough for us and DD1 is ready to shove the traveling parent out the door.To address to your fam why you are only bringing DD2I would mention it's easier to travel and you don't want to distract from the shower.nbsp; I agree it's much easier to travel with an infant.ETA:

He has not been on any field trips, but this is a good idea. I am confident DH will have things planned for them to do, so we will just talk it up more before I leave.

cchill01

Yep, we took DD#2 with us to a funeral and left DD#1 with my parents.  We were gone 3 full days and 2 nights.  DD#2 is still nursing, so I couldn't leave her for 3 days.  DD#1 was totally fine with it.

We split them up a lot - to go grocery shopping or to the mall.  I'll take #2 with me to bookclub or to baby/bridal showers, while #1 stays with Daddy.

I actually think it's good for them to get some alone time with Daddy or Grandparents.  He can make it a fun "guy weekend."

cchill01

Oh, and I couldn't care less what the family thought of me not bringing DD#1 to the funeral. I have to go with what works for me.

mexicolombiana

Absolutely take the baby and leave the toddler with DH.  

Margaret Lemon

Cooper81:

Just tell them that you and your H have decided that you will only bring the baby, you don't really need to give any further explaination, but if you want to say that your H wants to take the opportunity to have some good one-on-one time with DS1.

This. Plus you will be able to enjoy the trip more without the 3 year old.  

TriciaandSean

I'm planning on doing the same thing this fall.  I'll be traveling with my 5 month old and leaving my then 3 year old at home.  He'll have a fun weekend with Daddy and I'll get to go to a wedding and see family.  Traveling with just an infant is 100 times easier then with a toddler.

kmpls

Yep, I have done the same. My son was almost 3 and is such a Mama boy so, I was scared he would have a hard time but he did just fine.

Go and enjoy yourself.