To ask if you take your children out alone

Yes

Of course, always did do, long before I divorced.

I used to take mine out alone all the time. We went out as a family also but I flew with the two children when they were babies and toddlers, took them to the beach, the pool, parks, theme parks and many places. I did like to find places that were very child friendly though and if they were less child friendly it was nice to at least go with another friend who had children. It wasn't always possible though and I didn't want to limit my activities as a result so just got on with it. I think the more often you do it the more manageable it becomes as both you and the children learn how to navigate the days and what works best all around.

During the summer holidays my partner was working for 5 week straight and the weather was gorgeous and I wasn't going to sit around wasting it, I don't drive and we live on a main road with nowhere to play out, I took the plunge and decided to take my 3 to the beach, we had to get the bus into town and then switched train twice, I was extremely nervous and have high anxiety and thought it was going to be impossible to cope, my youngest was 6 months at the time and my older two were 4 and 6 and both SEN children, it went surprisingly well and each day I done it I became more and more confident, we had a few hiccups with tantrums etc but we spent almost every single day going to different beaches and it was amazing! A lot better than being stuck in the house and also fairly cheap compared to a holiday when you buy monthly passes for travel and take picnics with you!
As for naps and walking, my baby slept while we walked to and from the beach and also while my kids played and was fine, sometimes my older two did moan about walking but I just told them once they've got to the beach they can sit and relax and have a treat and with a bit of bargaining it worked.
They also went to a few theme parks and once explaining they could only go on rides that they could do together as I had to stay with their brother they were fun and had so much fun!
The more you do it the more you'll get used to it.

This is just what happens when you have more than one child. I became a single mother when my kids were 5, 2 and 1 so I had to take all of them with me anytime I left the house, whether that be to nip to the shop or for a big day out/holiday. They just had to adapt to it, we had no choice.

I have tried it a couple of times but I find it really stressful and hard work so generally I don't. Maybe when the youngest is out of the toddler years it will be easier to do

I try and do one 'big day' out each month. I pretty much am always alone as I do them in the week. It's cheaper and less busy! My son is 3 and there has been through odd time we've left early if he's having a difficult day (the ones where nothing you do makes them happy!!)
I even did Santa alone this Christmas as I didn't want my husband moaning about it being busy etc. He's worse than the kid 🤭
Having one does help rather than multiple!

Im a single parent so if im going to have adventures with my kids i do them by myself 🤷🏻‍♀️ Its brilliant. No bickering or compromising with another adult. I make the plans, go wherever we want, spend what i like, get to parent exactly how i want. Yes its absolutely EXHAUSTING particularly when theyre younger ie under about 8, because you're entirely responsible for it all, feeding them, entertaining them, toilet trips, bedtimes, foraging. But ultimately rewarding and we have so many memories

I rarely do but mainly because I "save" the best days out for when we can all go as a family, either on weekends or when DH has leave - not because I'm not capable of doing it by myself, but because he wouldn't want to miss out on the fun. It's more fun with 2 parents as we have 2 dcs, so one of us can be with each child, so they can explore different areas or go on different rides, if one child needs the loo the other one doesn't need to tag along, my youngest still naps so one parent can sit somewhere quiet while they nap and the older one can carry on having fun.

I do take them out to London museums, parks and theatres etc on my own, by public transport. We live there so it's not what I consider to be a big day out but it would be for some. TBH there aren't that many days I have sole care of them for a full day - my eldest is primary aged and likes to do lots of activity camps in the holidays so I'm often just with my youngest. We always spend our weekends as a family, and spend holiday time as a family (we never have one adult going off and doing their own thing while the other has both kids, it just doesn't suit us).

New thread:

do people manage to bathe two or more children solo?
how do people do bedtime solo for more than 1 child 😂😂😂😂😂

Both DH and I spend separate one on one time with each DD, from days out, trips to the movies, arcades to weekends away. We think it’s important that each DDs gets alone time with us one on one to do what they enjoy.

I did when they were younger, pre-school age. Now they are older (8&9) I prefer to do days out with my husband. They bicker for fun so it's a painful experience going anywhere alone with them.

All the time yes, think absolutely nothing of jumping on the train to Manchester, Blackpool, or York whilst my husband is at work.

@DinosaurMunch yes I can relate to this, my youngest would always want to do a poo mid dinner without fail! Would put me right off going back to my meal after wiping their bum!

Yes of course, always have even when married was like a single parent. Flew to New York alone with my oldest DC when they were two. Drove to Wales also when both DC under 10 for my first holiday post separation. That one was a bit like wtf am I doing a road trip, but It was all good. It can be a bit pressurised though; when they are little hard to go to the loo ect seems like a juggling act. Seems like a distant memory now they are both teenagers!

Yes loads and it was sometimes hard work especially when they were younger (thinking about the time I got utterly lost in a maize maze and one was running off and the other was having a strop and I was thinking I would never find the way out - put me off mazes forever) but definitely worth it (except the maize maze). I Love just packing a picnic and going out for the day. You don’t need to do anything too complicated especially if a child is in a pushchair still. A pigeon is as exciting as a giraffe at that age. It gets easier as they get older.

Yes, often, and with a ND child. I do prefer to meet friends with them but can't always be the case so many trips out. Xx

I would take 1 but not more for a full day out. Swimming or climbing or cinema or something is fine but all day with a long drive etc. would just be a chore as they are feral.

I do as a single parent but it's not easy. For example. Go to McDonald's, food arrives, one child needs toilet so you then have to take all the food and both children to the toilet while one child does the world's slowest poo before going back to unpack all the food again and finish eating. Last time we went to McDonald's we were there 75 minutes and had 3 toilet trips. One person needs the toilet and we all have to go.

Or went to Legoland Manchester, 2 kids, neither old enough to go on ride on their own , or wait on their own, but each adult could only take one child. Luckily a member of staff went on with one of the kids otherwise neither could have gone on it.

We all have to do everything together - if there are 2 parents you could each go with a child if they wanted to do different things - e.g. look at different things within Legoland.

It's just generally logistically difficult. I often leave my kids somewhere to wait for me or they wait in the car which probably isn't ideal but it's the way it is. I much prefer a day out with another adult, even if that means also having a load of extra kids along!

Yes, frequently with 2DC. DH not always available and we want to explore and have fun. Often pack up for an adventure day where we head out on the metro and just see where the day takes us.
It is much easier now everyone is toilet trained, can manage their own toilet stalls, lunch boxes and jumpers/jackets.
Also dc2 can be a bit of a handful when tired but dc1 is now old enough to "stand here and mind the bags" if I have to dash after dc2.
Have travelled with them and was fully prepared to camp alone with them too when it looked like dh might have to work over our planned break.
Just need to work to the youngest persons needs and allow plenty of time.

My children are 15 months and two and a half. I have severe social anxiety and often struggle to be in public on my own let alone with my two toddlers. I do take them to the park or soft play occasionally on my own but usually bigger days out with my partner or mum there.

Yes I always have. Not a single parent but DH often works at the weekend. 2 dc with a 20 month age gap - we’ve done theme parks (used to have a season pass for our local one when they were tiny), city day trips & breaks, short holidays including ferries, flights & driving…anything & everything really.

BUT my dc are older now and were babies before it was so easy to split parental leave. I was on my own with them 10 days post CS and just had to get on with it. Whereas I notice now friends & family members with younger dc often have both parents at home for a lot longer - and then find it quite difficult to imagine looking after dc on their own. It often makes me feel like a different generation!

YABU.
i take my children on long days outs, including going to concerts, weekend breaks and holidays by myself. I have no other choice. I’m really not sure why you would think that is unreasonable?

Happily married so not single parent but yes, I regularly took my children out for the day and also took them on solo holidays when husband was working.

Yes, single parent, 4 kids, two of which are neurodiverse, all holidays and days out.