To think it isn’t surprising that I haven’t had a night alone in my home since 2002?

I remember youngest DD starting a ballet class when she turned 3. Im a sahm so she hadn’t started preschool yet as her birthday is March so here in Ireland her two free preschool years didn’t start until the following September so when she was 3 years 6 months. DH was working from home since Covid so the house always had someone in it. Also DH had taken a promotion so was working long hours so even if he was locked away working he was still there iykwim. Anyway one afternoon I had a miserable cold and he took a break in the afternoon and took DD to her class and took the other DC with him normally one would rather stay with me or they’d have homework to do or whatever but that day they all went. I remember thinking that it was my first time totally alone in the house in about 4 years. It was really really strange.

Wow, 36 years! Glad you've enjoyed yourself.

I’ve just realised I’ve never spent the night on my own at home in about 23 years! Kids have been away, DH has been away, many times, but not all at the same time! I have been on my own in a hotel though, many times, which is rather nice 😊

Same as this, only about 18 years for me.

I have spent the odd evening alone when they were all away.

But I can't think of a time they all stayed away.

I've had childfree holidays but they always involved me amd/or DH going away. Now that I think about it, yes, I haven't had time alone in the house since they were born.

I'm having my first couple of nights alone since my kids arrived next week! The eldest is only seven though. I take them away overnight every now and then, my husband's doing his first trip away with just them. I know they'll have a great time and I'll enjoy the peace!
They've never done family sleepovers because the grandparents either don't have the facilities for them to stay over, or are so far away that we stay over together when we visit them anyway.

It depends how old your children are.
If they are spaced out and the eldest is 24 and your youngest under 10, I can understand that.
However if they're all over 16 or you had a number of years pre-children where it was just you and your husband, I find that a bit odd.

It’s not normal to me.

I don't think its unusual if your children are 10, I think its quite unusual if your children are 24! How old are your DC?

DH has never taken our kids away either. His mum lives in a bungalow his dad in a tiny flat. Ive taken them loads. He is a great dad and taken two of them camping, a few times on his own but never all 4. I was going have my first weekend alone in 22 years then the 22 year old got sick and didn't go on holiday!

I haven’t had one alone at home since 2013 when I had my first DC! Or a night alone with DH without the DC!

My DH used to work away a lot but I was always at home with the DC.

We don’t live near family so we travel and visit together and are always with the DC when we do - they don’t get sleepovers with family. They don’t go on sleepovers with friends at the same time and they’ve both been on camps with cubs/ guides but also never at the same time!

Probably not that unusual if you have four kids. I have one and have had loads of nights in alone. Though I don't think DH and I have had a night alone in our own house together since she was born, only when one of us takes her away somewhere. Year after next she does her first school residential so I guess we'll have that then!

My kids did do sleepovers and residential trips with school but not at the same time. Grandparents never had them. My DH passed away when they were young but I do recall perhaps one night when they were both away so I was on my own? Hmmm. My oldest moved out at 18 and my youngest went on the odd sleepover after that and is at uni (and currently abroad) so plenty of nights on my own now!

My eldest is that age and I’ve never spent a full night alone, at home, as in all night, since they were born. Kids might be at sleepovers, or now at uni, but husband is home overnight. Husband might be away with friends, but then kids are home. They’re just never all out overnight at the same time. So not necessarily that unusual.

If the last time was 2002 and you had young children then, they must be early/mid 20’s by now. Don’t they go away by themselves?

Single parent here. Haven't had a night alone for just short of 26 years!

Have parented my youngest with no break (SEND) for I think 9 years.

I've been a lone parent for 21 years.

I had my first child-free night 3 years ago when the oldest was already an adult. Like the OP I had 4, so while I often had one or two away, it was never all 4 at once.

I think I’m the same, but not since 2003 when my eldest was born. Lots of nights away on my own but never at home as DH not one for lads holidays etc and doesn’t travel for work. I’d LOVE a night alone!

I havent had a night alone for 20 years either (probably more but I cant remember). I have a dh and 4 dc's. We are a busy house with lots of comings and goings. The children do go out frequently but there is always 1 at home. We always have a family holiday, plus we will also go away seperately too, so I do have lots of me time.

Infact, up to living with dh, I lived in shared rentals for years with friends. Pre uni, I lived with my parents. So, I dont think I have spent hardly any nights home alone ever!

I don't think I've had a night alone in any house ever. I lived at home with parents, then moved in with husband, then children arrived. There's always been one of them here. Never had night on my own.

I think it is reasonably surprising. If it wasn’t remarkable that you haven’t had a night alone in your house since 2002 then you wouldn’t be mentioning it to people in the first place.

That said, it probably isn’t that unusual for a parent in a large family not to get a night alone for several years.

Not weird for me. It was probably 2010 when I last spent a night alone in my own house. I’ve had plenty of nights away on my own but not home alone. My son (autistic) doesn’t really do sleepovers, residentials etc and we’ve had no family who can provide overnight care for quite some time. The few occasions when both kids have been elsewhere, DH was with me.

I had about 4 hours with the house to myself a few weeks ago while the rest of the family were at a BBQ and it was absolutely lovely.

I have never spent a night alone in the house. I went from parents to husband to children to partner. I’ve not ever thought that there is anything strange in this.

Eldest DC born 2002 and prob had first night alone when they were in uni and dh went on a business trip or something 🤷‍♀️ so only in past few years.
i mean we had time away from them w PIL in charge overnight or they went in school trips etc but then DH was as here too.