To ask if you take your children out alone

My husband is self employed, and I help him out. My children are 8,12 &15 and I taken them everywhere in school holidays. We went abroad last year for the 1st time, but we've done loads of overnights.
Why would you not?

As a lone parent, yes, if I didn't we wouldn't go anywhere

If you had asked me this a year ago my response would have been hellllll to the no.

But, as DC get older it is, dare I say, getting slightly easier. I think when I can trust them to listen intently when I ask them to do something (like hold hand, don't run off etc) I'd be more confident taking them for special days out just the three of us. Often I've found myself torn between which child to run after and it's not fun at all.

That said - I do make sure DH and I carve time in our calendar each month to spend time with each DC individually on their own to do things they individually enjoy as despite being close in age, they do have different interests and tastes.

some of us have no choice

I’m a single parent so if I didn’t we’d never go anywhere! Since they were small I’ve taken them on days out and holidays abroad and in the UK. Flights with changes, driving to European centre parks, inter railed round Europe. Gets much easier as they get older but I didn’t want to miss adventures with them so it was a deep breath, make a plan and enjoy!

Yes of course, why wouldn't I? We'd never have gone anywhere when dh was working if we never went alone. We went walking, to the woods, to the coast, to the shops, on the train, on a boat, to play areas, to museums, to churches and other historically important buildings... anywhere we could think of really that was cheap. I do drive though, if that makes a difference, and despite ds having additional needs both dc were/are well behaved and easy-going.

Yes, I took my DS out on trips! I was a single parent until he was 10 but even then when I met my DH , I still took DS out by myself, and have even took my DSC too

We have been to wildlife parks, museums, different cities, castles, theme parks, the list goes on! Lots of happy memories!

He's 20 now and would rather not be seen out with his old Mum 😂 I'm hoping that will change at some point. Step children will still come out with me and DH!

I took my children everywhere alone, except once, just before I left the marriage and I’d told him I was leaving. I think he tried to act like he cared.
Anyway, 3 kids, days away, Sea Life Centres, zoos, holidays, hotels. Never occurred to me it would be an issue. But then, I never used prams or buggies. That would have really been a hassle, I think. Never owned one. Baby slings then backpacks till they could walk. Then, they walked.

I take my baby and four year out all the time. Why wouldn’t I?

That said, loads of people say things like “that’s a big day with two kids on your own,” all the time. No idea why. Maybe they don’t do it.

Single parent here, childhood is so short you have to make the most of it. Done everything from local days out, theme parks, caravan holidays to holidays abroad. Not everything went to plan, but we had fun. Loved it all, I do miss that time now, my son is in his 20s

This is ridiculous if what you are asking is 'is this realistically possible'.

As a lone parent to 2, for nrly 15yrs, without any external support for at least the past 10 yrs, I've done day trips, school support, holidays, everything alone 247, 365 days a yr. It's a hard tiring life but it's completely do-able unless you have other factors eg disability, MH issues etc.

However if you're asking should you have to, assuming you have a partner, and you don't want to do these things alone, then the question is more about your relationships. With your partner or with your children depending which reason is why you'd be questioning doing such things alone with your own kids!

There's so much to be gained in investing such time & effort into activities with them to benefit your relationship with them in the long term massively, if you want that for the future.

Not RTTT so apols if I'm off target for the background to this post!

Yes I've taken all 3 of mine out, I do everyday actually on a 1 hour each way school run (walking) one is also autistic and has no danger awareness. I took all 3 by myself to a large park with a small theme parked inside. It's not the easiest task but as long as you're prepared you'll be fine. In my case I took the youngest in the buggy, 2nd on a wrist strap reign she's the eloper. And my eldest is 9 so he was fine. It's just about being really present. And looking out for potential hazards

My mum used to take us out on her own all the time. And there were 3 or 4 of us. We used to go to museums, zoos, days out in London every holiday. Occasionally we'd meet my Dad on the train home but it was always my mum that took us for days out during the holidays as he would be working. I remember those days fondly.

Yea I did all the time. Most parents I know have - not just days out but trips to visit grandparents abroad etc. My old neighbour even took her four to Canada on her own when the youngest was a toddler and the oldest under ten (she was eventually meeting her DH there).

This is a strange question. Unless you have a disability etc, why wouldn't you? Surely everyone does, even if not single parents.

Yes I do, and so does my husband. I have also taken them away by myself camping and on holiday and he has taken them fishing. We do lots together as a family too. Just depends who is available and who wants too.

Yes, my 3 younger ones. My DH works weekends, so if we want to go anywhere, I have to take them alone. I won't pretend it's easy, but you just get on with it!

Only one child here but yes I’ve taken him to many theme parks and abroad as a toddler alone! I’ve personally found it great for my confidence, we’ve had a blast despite the tantrums and melt downs and you’re not on another adults timing or way of parenting!

Yes, I have a husband so not single but he likes to do stuff in the house and is also working some weekends. Also I prefer it as I can do it my way and it is cheaper to buy one adult ticket. We do theme parks, beach days, farms, theatre, cinema, mini breaks, city days out, museums and restuarants just me and the children quite often.

Apologies, I misread your question and thought you were referring to one on one with children.

i certainly found it difficult after number 3, 3 DCs under 6. For varying reasons I struggled, so did DH. We just cut down on certain activities, changed situations to suit. Namely we invested money in improving our outdoor space so they had plenty of fun stuff to occupy them at home.

Every child, couple is different, some parents can handle anything, others need more of a balance. Two I was perfectly fine with, I was told 3 just slots in and is easier, yep not totally untrue, but then they develop personalities…

Mine are 7, 10 & 12, I had all day with my 7yo who was apparently too ill for school this morning but ok to jump on a snowy trampoline for 2 hours with the dog this afternoon. I picked 10 & 12yo up and decided to go shopping and have tea at Asda, they love the pizza but the ovens weren’t working so they begged for McDonalds but insisted seeing we were already at Asda could they go to homebargins, matalan etc.. I got home and my brain was frazzled, I’d spent less than 3 hours with all 3 at once.

I mostly took them out together when young. There were some cafe trips whilst one was at a class. I took both abroad, separately. As adults I very often go to see one or another, or vice versa. We also spend time as a family.

I think the spluttering and incredulity is probably because it’s fairly obvious that there are lots of one parent families and so of course it’s possible to take children out with one parent.

I took a 6 year old to Paris for a few days on my own with the baby in a sling (couldn't manage the metro with a buggy). When they were 3 & 9 I took them on Safari in Africa. I'm single, so it's just normal for us.

Bath time I would bath the two youngest together (18 month age gap) and the eldest I would put in after them while I got them dried and dressed on the landing.

Bedtime, they were all in the same bedroom when they were young so I'd put them all to bed, read them a story and leave them to fall asleep by themselves. When the eldest got her own room she would read to herself anyway.

Yes, throughout his life, both dh and I have done - now he is 14 ds goes hiking and to football matches and days out with dh and gigs, concerts and days out with me as we split the holidays to cover as much as possible with ds.