How often do you get a child free night?

[bigfishlittlefishtupperwarebox]

My DH and I have one DC, a 2yo. If you are or have been in roughly the same boat, how often do/did they stay out overnight so you could have a night off to go out as a couple etc? Just trying to settle a dispute with my DH...

I know there are a lot of different variables, but for info, our DD is at one set of DGPs for two working days as childcare, and at the other set of DGPs for 5/6 hours another day already.

Never Well, we have had one night away from DD, but that was spent giving birth to DS. I DREAM of a night off, maybe when they’re older (grandparents not close / in poor health)

Never. Both sets of grandparents are still relatively young (56-59) and are still working. Their weekends are for them, and I respect that. My children are 10 and 6 and I've never had one night away from them, and don't expect to anytime soon.

With 5 year old dd, prob every 4 months. Now we have baby dd we haven't had an overnight yet and probably won't for a good while!

In 11 years about 3 times I think.
4 nights for a joint big birthday short break away
1 night for a wedding
2 nights when I drove DH to a big sporting event he was taking part in, one of those involved a 3.30am start though so not exactly restful!

We have gp 45 mins drive away but they have never offered. Most of the above covered by the other go who live 500 miles away.

Probably once sometimes twice a month.
Lots of adults in our kids lives who love them and want to spend time with them, none of them family and NDNs with kids the same ages so we take it in turns to have all of each others round for sleepovers.

Didn't realise just how lucky we were. Our daughter is 2 and we have lots of nights together. 11 years without a night out?

Maybe twice a year. Only have one willing and fit enough grandparent.

About once a month plus at least one weekend away ( 3 nights) a year. This has been the norm since ds was 2 months

Hardly ever, could probably count on 1 hand the amount of times in just over 2 years.

To be fair to them though, my parents have just had DS for 3 days whilst me and DP went away for the weekend.

They've only had him maybe 2 times overnight before that but my DM was regularly looking after DS from when I went back to work when he was 8 months old up until last month (so almost 18 months).

DPs mother had him maybe once or twice over night also, but she also had him whilst I was working, only for about 5 months though and then DP fell out with her so she hasn't seen DS at all for about a year now.

But we also go away for work as well so have both been away from her for that.

Never at that age! Or until way older than that, as in juniors!

What exactly is your husband expecting, here?!

Never! Have 3 under 5 and think we have had one night out without them since #1 arrived. Have no family close and just never got into the habit of hiring babysitters. Don’t really mind tho!

I have a 5 year old, he probably stays a grandparents once every 3 months or so

9 month old, never left her overnight yet because she won't settle reliably for anyone other than myself or OH. We are planning a night away at Christmas, she'll be almost a year old. Before we had her we had plans to still go away for birthdays/anniversary but I'm a different parent to how I expected to be. I'm kind of jealous of the pp who has had several nights without her 5 month old, mine wouldn't settle without being fed by me at that point!

I have never had a night out. DS is 16mo. We have certainly never had a night out together since DS was born. I do miss it a bit.

Couple of hours max now of GPs lool after him but DS is bf to sleep so it makes me pretty indispensable there.

It'll happen at some point, I'm sure.

Last time was 13 months ago.

No family nearby so it’s 1-2 times a month with a babysitter for us.

Really shocked by this thread, 10 years without a night away from your kids.
Don't they go on school trips or sleepovers?

Very rarely, I have 2 ds, one is 10 one is 5 and youngest ds is very overly attached to me. It my mum to look after them and when she does she can't cope seeing him have a few wee upset moments through the night and generally phones us to come home after a few hours. My first ds was great he would stay with her anytime with no fuss at all, he quite liked it so we had more time to ourselves then and I didn't worry as much.

A whole night away together without kids...2 in 4 years, and those were for our honeymoon. We get maybe 2 nights out for meal/cinema a year, and a few times a year we get a night out individually with friends etc. We have no family nearby and until recently both my parents were working full time so unable to commit to babysitting. I’ve yet to have an overnight stay away from my 14 month old. My mum retires in the next year or so so maybe we’ll be able to have a weekend break to ourselves then!

when my son was younger grandparents had him a lot more probably 1 or 2 times a month

Planning the first overnight for my DD in December with my parent's for a family event of DHs. She'll be 4 months. I'm not sure your DH is very realistic to say the least. What is he expecting?

Never been away all night. DS is 7. Maybe 3-4 nights out a year.

We have 4 children ranging from 20 to 2, both sets of grandparents are amazing and have always had our children over night and also so we can have a 5 day holiday just the 2 of us. We've done that for the last 6 years and although we miss the children we love it. We have 2 one night spa breaks every year as well and one date night every month. We tried doing the date nights at home but it just didn't work. We have our main family holiday every year plus a few uk breaks and lots of family time so feel we have a nice couple/family time balance. I think our children were about 4 months old when we first started leaving them over night. I know some people will say they don't agree with it but it's what works for you.

To me a night off would mean no kids. I have two. So my 10yo will go on a residential for one night next year but I'll still have to take the 6yo to school the next day. And yes she's been on sleepovers, but again I've had my other child at home. I've never been without them both to go on nights out or simply relax.