About going to Australia?

[CorianderSnell]

Sorry, this is a really boring problem, but I’m going backwards and forwards in my head and would appreciate any input...

DSis lives in Australia and visits UK every 2 or 3 years to see family here. I haven’t been out there for 9 years, when I was pregnant with first DC.

I now have three DC, ranging from 8 to 2 in age. DSis’ 40th is next year and I thought it would be nice to go over for that.

DP doesn’t want to go, and he has very little experience of looking after all three kids so I wouldn’t be comfortable going with no kids (plus cousins are a similar age and I’d like them to have a relationship). So most likely I am looking at taking three kids by myself.

The question is this - do I go next year, which would be better in terms of being there in Birthday year and in between DSis’ visits back home, OR do I leave it a year so my youngest is four, which I think would be easier for me in terms of no pushchair, naps etc, more able to play with older children. (To clarify, they would be 3,7 and 8.5 if we went in ‘19 and 4, 8 and 9.5 in ‘20.)

I can’t decide if I am making excuses for myself and putting off what would undoubtedly be quite a full-on trip. Or whether I am being unduly swayed by the birthday thing and should just go with what I think will work better for everyone to have a nice trip..

Do you have parents who are going over?

Ooh! My Dad doesn’t go over but my Mum does and I had completely forgotten that it had occurred to me a while back that if we went at the same time she could help out with sharing the children around etc. Thanks for jogging my memory! I’ll email her and see if that would work because I think that would make next year possible.

hope that works.

why doesnt your partner know how to look after his kids?

Oh that’s probably a whole other thread special! Part him having worked away in the week for last five years, part me being one of those anxious and infuriating parents that finds it hard to leave their babies even when it’s driving them demented... lots of other dynamics and habits we’ve fallen into...

I have booked my first night away from the kids in four years (first night away from dc3 ever) for next month, but I think it’ll be a long time before I feel comfortable leaving them for weeks at a time.