To ask if you take your children out alone

The dynamics are different with different child/parent combinations too.

When I take my DSs on holiday (or even just days out) on my own we have such a different time to when we're with DH or when DH and the DSs are together without me - none are 'better' just different!

No, as every big day out is something both me and DH want to participate in.

I do, and DH has alone days too. They are pretty well behaved so it is almost always an absolute pleasure to be with them. I do feel sorry for some friends who are unable to enjoy time like this as their kids are so badly behaved in public (well and in private too haha).

Well before I had DC2 i took DC 1 everywhere. It does depend on the DC though. My second is disabled and can’t manage a lot of walking etc so one of us often has to leave early because of this. To be honest I don’t take both out on my own much now 😟

I remember meeting a friend for lunch when my ds was 2 months old...she brought another friend along who I hadn't met before. This woman kept on going on about how amazing it was that I'd managed to get up and dressed and out the house

Not quite the same but DH made friends with a dad at DD's ballet class, the other girl was the eldest of three children. He gave up on the friendship as the dad wasn't allowed out for play dates with just the eldest, they all had to come. Mum, dad, primary aged child, toddler and baby 😂

I am very paranoid about drowning (a friend child drowned) and no way would I take mine to water park without 1:1 supervision, probably until they're old enough to drive there themselves!

waves to all the other widows, single and solo mums 👋🏼

Yes - because if I didn't we wouldn't go out. I do know many women who don't though.

If someone is adult enough to bring another life into the world they should be more than capable of stepping out the door with that child or children. Don't have more than you can cope with. In fact don't have any at all if you are that useless.
I travelled tens of thousands of miles on trains, ferries and aircraft with 3 children, no other adult.. My youngest was only a few weeks old when i took him on his first flight.
Too many parents act like little children, no wonder many can't raise resilient children.

Even if you're not a single parent....how.on earth would this work in school holidays or before kids start school....if your DH is working, do you just stay at home or go out locally for five days out of seven?

I’m a single parent, so yes.
However, when I was married I was the loneliest married person ever and I also still took them out on my own all the time.
We’ve done holidays etc, I don’t mind doing it alone, but I do get sad when I see all the mums and dads together. I never had that, even when I was with him

When mine were little yes,always. If I had waited for ex we would still be sitting on the sofa now. I had a huge double buggy when they were very small and did not entertain any resistance, we went everywhere, did get stranded on a pedalo on a boating lake once which was a challenge. Their tiny legs weren't able to cope with reverse pedaling after we pedalled into the bank.

This is nuts.
Two children are easy to take out alone.
What circled do you mix in where people are surprised that a grown adult can’t take out two children by themselves?!

No I don’t, I am nervous taking both of them out together. I have a 5 and a 2 year old. Me and DH take them both out together.

I get that others are more confident and competent but I’m not and I’m okay with it.

Mine grown up now but, yes I did. I assumed everybody did, both parents can't always been available. My husband did too sometimes and single parents often do unless they go out with friends. Why?

I wasn't sure if you meant as a solo parent without a partner - yes, all the time. Or 1 child at a time to give them quality one on one time. Yes, have done this also.

A friend of mine lost her husband last year, and really struggles with taking the kids out by herself because she's never had to do it.

I don't. Used to take eldest out by myself but once the awful tantrums started and I was pregnant with number 2, I couldn't cope by myself. Lost all confidence, never even went to the park with both of them together as eldest was too difficult and I couldn't carry a tantruming toddler along with pushing pushchair. Now have number 3 and I do take the youngest two out to the park or library occasionally as they are much more chilled, but never all 3 together as the eldest causes trouble. Longer days out absolutely not, wouldn't even dream of it. It's hard enough with two adults! Can't even manage taking them all to the supermarket. But they are all fairly young still (eldest is 6), so maybe things will get better once they are older or I get a bit of confidence back.

No. It tends to be something we would do as a family however I have taken 2 out of my 3 to panto on my own and have done one on one cinema trips or to the theatre. We do often split up to do things with the kids as we have a 3 year old and then our bigger two who are very close in age.

@ijustdontcareifhedid What a bizarre thing to ask!
When a husband clears off, of COURSE children get taken away with their mum. On holiday abroad too.

Are they to be relegated to stodging about indoors never going to a museum ( The London ones are great) or cinema or other day out?

Yes 😀 theme parks, concerts, days out in London/ Birmingham, museums, safari parks, nights away. I love it! Their Dad does trips too like comic con or more physical activities like aqua parks etc. He also takes them to watch the local rugby/ football team (home and away games).

I assumed the question is more - do you always arrange to go places with friends - rather than specifically both parents together.

I do know plenty of people who won’t go to theme parks with their DC alone and would always bring another mum friend with their DC for company. They would rather not go if someone else wasn’t free to go with them.
And that would always be my preference too but it’s not always easy to find friends who are free the same day and want to go to the same place. So yes I have always brought my DC to theme parks, museums etc alone even on holiday a couple of times when DH had no holiday leave left.
Always seen lots of other parents doing the same.

Took mine everywhere yes. Big days out, small days out, holidays, up to the shops to get milk. How else do you think single parents give their kids a normal life?

Yes I always have, I need to be out and about go stir crazy at home. When my kids were small my dh worked away a bit. I have 3 kids and have always done it, forest walks, beaches, day trips, overnights never over thought it just got on with it.