POLL: How often do you and DH vacation w/o the kids?

taylormillgirl · November 2010

It's been more than 3 years since DH and I had a weekend away, and in the nearly 7 years we've been married, we've only taken 2 vacations without the kids. I think it's time!

But...

DH's parents are deceased, my parents can't help out because they have their hands full with my mentally-ill brother, and it's not easy to find someone to take 3 kids. I asked DH to put out feelers among his family members to see if we can "farm" the kids out to several homes, but he doesn't like asking for help. So I guess our only option would be to hire a nanny to stay at our home while we're away, which would probably cost more than the vacation itself.

Yes, I'd like some cheese with my whine. Sad

rianals · November 2010

DH and I have never gone away for an overnight without DD. We've only gone on one date night since she was born! However, DH works a lot and really misses having time with DD. We bring her pretty much everywhere that we go.

taylormillgirl · November 2010

Rianals:
DH and I have never gone away for an overnight without DD. We've only gone on one date night since she was born! However, DH works a lot and really misses having time with DD. We bring her pretty much everywhere that we go.

We stayed home when our little ones were that young, too. I was nursing, and pumping was such a hassle for me.

SweetPeanis · November 2010

Never. But we have only been parents for 21 months.

We are planning on taking a vacation in 2 years without the kids. My sister will be watching the kids since I will be watching their kids this spring. We are trading off.

Hopefully you are able to find friends or family who would be able to watch your kids so you can get a great.

Stacyc625 · November 2010

I don't judge what anyone else does- (and I hope no one does the same to me/us) but we DONT vacation without the kids. We have gone on several family vacations- about three or four a year. And that is how it will be until they are much older.

Doesn't bother DH and I at all about not having time without them.

jnksmom · November 2010

DH and I have gone on 3 overnight trips(1 night) since DS was born. My mom kept them 2 of those times and MIL kept them once. We have never gone a vacation without the kids though.

DevonPow · November 2010

So far we have done it about 2-3 times a year. Usually long weekends, but last summer we went to Paris for a week for our 5th anniversary.

We are lucky because my MIL is always willing to watch DS even though she lives in MI and we are in MA, so she flies here and stays with DS when we want to get away. A few tmes we have flown to MI and dropped off DS at the in-law's house so we can do a mini-vacation to Chicago or something similar.

DH just bid on/won a night away at a hotel at my MOMS Club auction, and I think for that we are just going to have our regular sitter do an overnight with DS.

We are doing it less frequently now because we feel we don't "need" it as much. DS is a lot more fun to travel with now, so more of our vacations include him. We are feeling *almost* ready to take him on an internatinal trip this summer.

eaglesfan700 · November 2010

We have done long weekends away twice, once when DS was 6 months old and once this past June. We are lucky in that my family is close by and most of my brothers and sisters have kids that are older, so they love to have the little ones. When we went away in June we split the kids up

Both times everything went wonderfully. Leading up to each trip I had anxiety and second guessed it, but once we were away, alone, and I knew the kids were in good hands, it made me realize how necessary these types of trips are for us.

drreidlover · November 2010

We have gone away once to Vegas for 4 days. We will most likely do a child-free short trip every 2 years or so. What about going on a Disney Cruise? There are lots of fun activities to occupy the kids so you and your DH could get a break too!

Carol*Brady · November 2010

Never--I mean I've gone away for a week w/ my sister & Mom....DH has gone places alone a lot...but DH AND ME gone away--Never. I know we probably could find someone to do it (especially when we had 1-2 kids)--And I know MIL would...but now that we have 3 little kids, I feel like it's too much to ask. Plus--we don't have/want to spend the money on it--We can't throw away $500 for a weekend a few times a year when we still have things we need for the house, etc.

Notwifezilla7 · November 2010

Could you go somewhere like Beaches or Club Med, where the kids would be supervised while you and YH have some time together?

We've done one overnight before DD2. I EBF and DD2 does not take a bottle so that killed any overnight plans this year. I already told DH that once DD2 is weaned, he's taking me away for a weekend. I think I deserve it and I know my parents will spoil my girls like crazy!!!

ali-1411 · November 2010

Never :

DH and I have never been on a vacation alone. We got together when DS was about 4 years old and there was never time or money to go away. We didn't even take a honeymoon.

We've been together for 5 years - married 3 years - and never once been on a vacation without the kids.

If we had money to burn, I would fly my parents into town to stay with the kids and we would take off to the Bahamas. Hell, I would even take a week in Florida

gobigblue · November 2010

my mom is deceased also, but thank heavens for the inlaws! we go away 2 x yr. i feel for you. i would stress the importance of a getaway w/ your DH. asking for help shouldn't be a huge deal w/ family members.

MrsBalletStar05 · November 2010

Never. Hell, we've never gone on a vacation WITH the kids :-/

They are little though. In like, 5 years, we will hand them over to grandma for a few days.

jallen76 · November 2010

Once or twice a year. We share them with the grand parents. I think it is absolutely necessary to get away together. We go on vacation with the kids too and that is a totally different experience.

axr8111 · November 2010

At least once a year on a vacation away...and then we usually take a night or two away here and there too. It's a must for us and so we make sure it happens.

lilone_06 · November 2010

We vacation probably 4-6 times a year - a lot! But DH & I have never had a vacation without the kids.

mandymack · November 2010

DH & I vacation once a year for our anniversary and Emily stays here with my mom (we fly her out here for the week).

That is so hard, having deceased parents and/or In-laws... my In-laws are deceased as well so, we can only lean on my mom and my sister for "help" and only felt comfortable asking my mom to stay with Emily when she turned 3 years old (last year) so DH & I could go away for a week to celebrate our 4th anniversary.

We went away for another week this year to celebrate our 5th anniversary and my mom and Emily both really loved the time together. I'm sure it's a lot harder when there are 3 kids but I agree you shouldn't feel guilty asking!

Daisy77 · November 2010

Rarely. Our last true vacation? 6 years ago for our honeymoon. We have maybe had 2 weekends away since then.

My mom would take the kids but she lives an hour away, is often busy with my grandma (alzheimers), and she smokes. So the kids and all their stuff come back smelling like smoke (she doesn't smoke around them, but she smokes in the house when they aren't there so everything smells like it).

DH's parents take 6-7 vacations a year. It never occurs to them that we might need one. They never offer and if we ask they are too busy or are going away themselves. You know, life is rough when they have an quiet house all to themselves. Need to escape that peacefulness I guess, lol.

gatogrrl · November 2010

Once a year. But just for a long weekend; we take DD up to stay with my parents in Maine, then we drive to a B&B.

We were going to go to Barcelona for a whole week alone this summer, but that plan died with our totaled car / window replacement expenses. Ah, well, maybe for our 5th wedding anniversary.

My parents went to a warm island every winter (ETA: for a week, not the whole winter!) and left us with identical twin teenage girls. I remember that being a blast.

lms_bride · November 2010

Our plan is to take one trip/weekend per year alone, without the kids. Since having our son, we've had a 3-night vacation to Las Vegas (where son#2 was conceived!) and an overnight to a nice hotel near here for our mini-babymoon before son#2 was born. Next year will be our 5 year anniversary and we are hoping my parents will watch the boys so we can take a vacation to NYC for 4 nights or so.

With the kids we hope to take at least one long-ish vacation per year along with several long weekend trips. We will see how it goes...

foreverMorgan · November 2010

Our honeymoon was the last time we went away, just the two of us. We typically vacation 4 times a year and we always vacation with the kids. It'll be that way for a long time. We like having them with us.

Andrewsgal · November 2010

We go to a Sandals resort in either Jamiaca, Aruba, bahamas or St. lucia for a week every April, and to a long weekend at a lake in NY every August.

We also take several family trips a year with the kids. We went to Disney and Great Wolf last year and are going to NY city, and Disney World this year.

For us it is great for our marriage to travel and spend time alone every year, we truly enjoy being together and it totally renews our marriage. We are blessed to have the income to be able to both travel with and without the kids and I would not give up either.

ToBeMrsT · November 2010

never without the kids. we don't have anyone to watch them.

SpartanGirl · November 2010

Never. Ever. We have plans to go away on our tenth anniversary - in 3 years.

babypuplove · November 2010

We plan to take a vacation without the kids at least once a year. We are in the middle of planning a four night vacation to St. Thomas or St. John for February. I'm not ready to leave them for longer than that, and even four nights away will be tough, but we need it. We LOVE to travel, and having 2u2 has made it nearly impossible for the last two years. We are ready to start living it up again! :-)

iteachk · November 2010

Never.

Though we did spend a night in the city for our anniversary. And our parents watch her overnight a couple of times a month. But a vacation? Never.

MainelyFoolish · November 2010

We've had two 3 day weekend local-ish (within 100 miles) vacations without DD in the past 2 years. We've also had a couple of regular weekends alone. DD stays with DH's parents and they love to have her.

Mrs.Hizzo · November 2010

Never. I don't mind. We still go away a couple times a year, I've just gotten better at finding kid-friendly resorts.

jen5-03 · November 2010

We've been away for a weekend anniversary trip when DD almost 2yo.

And my dad takes DD about 1x a month for an overnight which is awesome even if we just use the time to work around the house. Soon DS will be old enough to go too (dad doesn't "do" babies, they're outside his comfort zone, but he's great with toddlers and older).

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POLL: How often do you and DH vacation w/o the kids?

Re: POLL: How often do you and DH vacation w/o the kids?

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