To ask if you take your children out alone

Of course. Currently in the process of a divorce but even before that I took DD on big days out/overnights and European trips on my own. We did these all together too but not everyone was available all of the time and, often, it was more fun just us.

YABU.

took a 1 year old and 4 year old to Eurocamp in France by myself for a week. Drove the car on the ferry, two children in the cabin with me. All dinners, playing, swimming bedtimes etc.

You have to be resourceful inventive, patient and resilient I’ll give you that

Not a single parent but yes, absolutely this.

DH doesn't like camping, or staying away from home generally 😂but I do so I've always taken my kids by myself. Started camping when they were 2 and 4. Also staying in holiday cottages, staying in youth hostels, Eurostar to the Alps.

Yes always boomer+ age men that appear to be authorities about parenting, never get it from women in same age group, they are generally lovely when your DC are not at their best

I do to places that I know, the local farm/zoo etc but it's usually with someone else we know like friends or my sister, it's just easier with a bigger adult to child ratio. I have a 5yo and an almost 2yo, the 5yo is great at walking and easily entertained, the 2yo not so much so it's sometimes a struggle to split myself in two when we go places.
If we're going further afield I usually wait until DH is off work.

5yr old n 2yr old here. My oldest is 20 and i was single parent with him so done all big days with him and quite often 1 of his friends. The toddler is gem out and about but the 5yr old…… not so much. Not because of bad behaviour. Just because he is full of so much energy and is like a whirlwind so days out are usually saved for when dad’s off work to tag team.
edited to say i do take them to the park and swimming myself so not that I don’t do stuff with them myself

Dh worked away most of the time till last year (kids now teens) so I’ve always done all days out, trips & even some holidays (home & abroad) solo! I have 3.

I have a 2 year old and a baby, we go out pretty much everyday. If there’s something big and fun that my dh also wants to go to then we might hold off until his day off. Other than that we go out for the day, go to zoos, museums, aquariums etc depending on the weather.

I usually get the comment of- you’ve got your hands full and one incredibly ignorant older man telling me I should have kept my legs closed!! But I enjoy taking them out, keeps us all busy for a few hours.

Yes I prefer to because DH never listens to any plans and then gets all confused, doesn't eat and then gets all stroppy. I end up having to carry snacks for him aswell as DC..he's also not interested in things I want to show DC like art, museums etc. and always just focuses on the negative.

We get on a lot better if I take DC out, have fun and leave him with a list of things to sort out at home by the time I'm back!

It so annoys me at theme parks when families take their children out of the queue to go to the toilet...what do you think single parents do? They get better organised and go to the toilet beforehand and if you are in a queue for what might be hours, you don't give your DC litres of drinks in the queue and if one needs to go, you all go and then have to join the back of the queue again.

I often found it easier to take my 3 kids out on my own than with now XH, SN and all. We did and do a lot of things just the 4 of us. I prefer it that way.

4 year old and 1 year old here. I do take them out by myself a lot but generally local ISH. Park, soft play etc.

Anything like a theme park or zoo I would tend to do on the weekend when DH was around x

I certainly did during maternity leave, and have done if DH can't get a day off to match mine. That's rare though, so we do most things as a family simply because we can. We WFH and have very flexible jobs, and we all enjoy doing things together. Obviously I'm quite happy to take them out on a hike or whatever if DH is doing something else, he often takes them out to walk the dogs and go for a run around while I have some me-time and vice versa.

Big day trips tend to be all of us, but not because one of us couldn't cope. We just both want to be involved. If our schedules were different and hours less flexible then neither of us would have an issue doing things solo, though.

On the other hand, I have a friend who struggles and I don't judge her for it. She had a really traumatic birth and just found it difficult. That's not her fault, she isn't doing it by choice. Luckily they have a big garden so she isn't trapped indoors all day. During the holidays, I invite her over as often as possible or on some trips out. Her DH is a doctor and works long hours, she's a teacher so school holidays are particularly trying for her.

Yes and I’m planning on a cheeky hotel stay by the coast the summer with my son, he’ll be 6 then. I can’t wait. His dad can’t get the leave and it will only be a night or so but it will be lush

All the time! Not just days out but weekends camping and long weekends abroad whilst daddy is home working. Our work schedules and time off differs. I love our little adventures just the two of us

Yes. Frequently! And overnight. Why wouldn’t you? And my two are ASD.

This. Ditto with people who are used to having a car and can’t believe you would take two kids around the city without a car. “You got the bus? All the way? How are you getting home??” 🤣

I’m a SAHM to a 18 month old and 3 year old and find parenting out of the house much easier! I never use a pushchair as I find them bulky and annoying. 😅 I either have a carrier for the baby if going anywhere far or I just let them both run around, it can be hard work to start with but tends to make them better at listening and walking in the long run imo

I did it often because DH works very long hours and also travelled a lot. If we'd waited for his availability we'd never have gone anywhere. Theme parks, caravan holidays, package holidays, Disney. I only had two DC though. I can see that a larger family might be harder to wrangle.

My ex (their Dad) was lazy and disinterested. If I never took the DC out without him, they'd barely have gone anywhere. I've taken them for days out, theatres, museums, country parks, camping trips, and even one week long UK holiday without him before we got divorced. I was quite lucky in that my youngest loved being worn (and I was strong enough to do so), so I could lug her about without the pushchair. If I had had to battle her the whole way, I think trips out would have been far less appealing.

Years later and my DH (their step dad) is very happy to join us, and even organises and books a few bits for us all. But I would still be happy to take them solo if needed.

I also now get to take them for one to one days out occasionally. Usually when one of them needs new clothes, we do a day of shopping and lunch out. It's bloody lovely.

I wouldn’t take my three out together on a day out on my own if I could help it. Eldest has adhd though so prob makes them more of a handful than average. Divide and conquer or go out as a family with DH as well is generally my preference.

Well, obviously, many parents have no choice...as they are single! I was a single mum of three from when my youngest was 6 months (other two were 2 and 4 at the time). I'd have led a pretty dull and insular life if I'd stayed home just because I was on my own! We not only had great days out, we travelled a lot as a little single-parent family of four 😍

My children remember our 'adventures' with great fondness. They are all in their thirties now, so I was doing all of this without the help of satnavs or smart phones...in fact I didn't have my first mobile phone (Nokia Brick 🤣) until my youngest was about 9!

To be honest, it never crossed my mind that I needed another adult...I just got on with parenting my children. My ex had very little contact (his choice) and by two years post divorce had disappeared completely and we've never heard from him since. Our full and exciting family life continued regardless 😆

Yes! Every Saturday as DH works, always has. Kids are now 11 and 13. Obviously sometimes we're with family or friends but on the most part it's just me and them...
Days out
Theme parks
Museums and galleries
We go on train/bus/long car trips
Holidays just the three of us

I absolutely love it

i don’t think this is a weird question, I have a 2 and a 3 year old and it’s my worst nightmare taking them out on their own!