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. Eldest is 5 and we’ve no family or friends who will babysit.

DD has been away from both of us at the same time for the night once. She's about to turn 5. We only have my DM for babysitting and she isn't massively keen on more than a few hours. It doesn't massively bother me to be honest. She's hard work but she's part of me still and I'm adjusting to her growing independence gradually.

I have no idea what he's expecting! Honestly it's the first time he's mentioned it and I was a bit 

It came up in out first marriage guidance session today, off the back of me (and the therapist) telling him he is a workaholic, so he retorted that I'm an aholic and have that reason why. I actually laughed at him...

DD 15 months and stays out 1 or 2 times a month. My parents love having her and offer when they are free to do so. I'm very lucky and as a lone parent and work full time, just enjoy the time to have a take away and a good nights sleep!

We are just about to have first one - Ds nearly 4 and going to his first sleepover. Before this DH and I have had nights away with friends individually but never together. No family nearby so no option really, unless we paid for an overnight babysitter which seems a bit much! In the sleep deprived days I used to DREAM of nights in hotels all the time but now I don’t really think about it. Yes I think your DH is being a bit unrealistic!

My emoji didn't work... it was the squiffy-faced one 

We've had a total of 6 childfree nights in 13 years.

None - my daughter is coming up for 4. Never slept out. On the other side of the coin my niece slept out frequently since a few weeks old. All kids & circumstances are different.

As a couple, twice in ten years.

Loads. GPs happy to have them, and also other family. We get probably 6 nights where they sleep over, plus a full weekend away at least once a year. We also repay the favor by offering to have nieces and nephews overnight when we can. We are taken up on those offers more often these days which is great

Actually, one set of GPs don't offer, but we do ask them at least once a year. Sometimes they say no, and that's fine. But they might offer to come to us and babysit here.

Why wouldn't you ask? The worst they can do is say no.

Roughly every 6 weeks. We don't always do go out but grandparents ask to have them (we have 3dc).

No grandparents help with day to day childcare though.

Never. First night was when they joined Beaver scouts and went on camp.

Overnight, just once when we went on a mini break. We've had nights out though and GP's have babysat. Maybe every few months? Usually for birthdays, anniversaries etc... otherwise one of us stays in and the other goes out. That's more frequent.

We have a 4yr old and a 9month old. Never had more than 3hrs away from baby and that was for hairdressers, OH had the kids. Child free night, I think 3 in 4yrs maybe.

"stay out overnight" - never. We have had 2 nights away as a couple in the 14 years since DC1 arrived. We have 4 DC and the PIL are unwilling to have any of them overnight or even babysit for an evening despite living only 100m away. My parents live 300 miles away so cannot help.

If we want a night out we pay for a babysitter so maybe once or twice a year and always home before midnight. DC1 is Aspergers so is not able to babysit the others and also makes leaving them trickier than average (imo)

We have a 2.5 year old and have never had a child free night, we have only been out together without him once (for BIL's 40th birthday meal) but was home by 10pm. If I go out for a meal with friends, DP puts him to bed.

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

Of course they do but with 3 or more kids, they never all go on the same night! Always left with at least one child still at home.

DH occasionally takes DD away overnight (and vice versa). The only time someone else put her to bed was when I was accompanying DH into hospital (via an ambulance). Not sure that's quite the night out you'd be aiming for. DD is nearly 6 - no family nearby.

Twice since DD(2.5) was born. Grandparents would have her more but it makes DD clingy so not worth it. We have additional evenings out together and apart and take it in turns to lie in at the weekend so don't feel the need for more.

Never had anyone to have them overnight. We got a weekend once when they were at Brownie and Guide camp at the same time. They have gone on school trips and sleepovers but not at the same time.

Once a week but it doesn't really feel like a night off because I pick DS up from school and go to my parents house for tea. I leave around 7pm (DS goes to bed around this time) walk the dog, relax and go to sleep before getting up early for work the next day.
Pretty much the same as when he's here apart from I have to fit the dog walk in earlier!

I suppose it's more of a morning off because I only have myself to get ready!

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

Most schools don’t have residential school trips until year 6. And I hate to be the one to break it to you, but the school only take the child who is in year 6 and not their siblings.

Ditto sleepovers, which IME are not common until about year 5. And lots of kids don’t like them or don’t get invited .

1 weekend out of 3 out DC goes to GP

Never. Mine are 15, 13 and 5 - obvs the older two have slept away from home but not my youngest.

To be honest though we've never really felt the need for them to stay anywhere else. They are happy and settled in their own beds.

I have a 2 yo (actually more towards 2 1/2) and she's never stayed over st grandparents.

Neither sets offer or would willingly take. I have a younger sister who, when home from university, will babysit in our house till about midnight. So we have 2 or 3 nights out a year, but will be waking up at 6am to parent