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Original poster

Feeling Sad - Sitting at the Airport

87 replies

Icequeen01 · 02/08/2019 04:55

I know this is going to sound ridiculous but I’m currently sitting in an airport lounge with DH waiting for a flight to Italy for a week’s holiday in the Amalfi Coast. I am looking forward to it but am I ridiculous to be feeling sad. This is the first holiday without our DS. It’s to be expected, he’s 19 for goodness sake, but I’m watching all the people with young children and remembering back to when our DS was that age and would have been beside himself with excitement. I guess it’s just another rite of passage but even so it makes me sad 😢

OP posts:
ssd · 02/08/2019 10:31

I'm actually jealous of friends who still have their 18 /19/20/21 years olds going on holiday with them still. But I don't actually want for them to have no one to go on holiday with apart from us?
Does that make sense? My boys have loads I'd friends, lovely girlfriends and they want to holiday with them. Dh says that's how it should be. But my friend had her 18 year old come with them and I was jealous!!
Daft.

GenerationYmember · 02/08/2019 10:34

Oh OP Flowers My DD is 20 and she is going travelling in a couple of months all on her own. Be weird me staying home all alone, whilst she is exploring the world.

That said she came on a free holiday at the start of the year with me! If you offer to pay and its somewhere in the sun, they often do come crawling back..

And I mean this kindly OP but I always dreamt about child free holidays with my DH. Sadly he died 6yrs ago so I never got that opportunity. So think of the positives!

be47 · 02/08/2019 10:42

I'm 26 and still holiday with my parents - I had a few years of not going, but now it's me, the brother and his girlfriend plus the parents off to Cornwall for a week! None of the 20 somethings can afford the kind of places we go with them, and it's lovely to spend time with them in the sun with good food and wine - I'm convinced the reason I have such a good relationship with my parents is because of the time we spend together as equal adults on trips like this.

Enjoy your holiday, but don't be shocked if he's back in a few years!

Original poster
Icequeen01 · 02/08/2019 10:52

LadyRannaldini - that’s a bit harsh and a mean thing to say. How can you possibly say that. We have left DS at home but just because we miss him doesn’t mean I am going to turn into the MIL from hell. I expected a few “you need to pull yourself together” comments but your comment is just plain mean.

OP posts:
microferret · 02/08/2019 10:55

A good friend told me when my daughter was a tiny baby that motherhood is a constant process of letting go, and that letting go is never easy. Never a truer word was spoken! It is so hard to watch various eras end and you must allow yourself the space to grieve properly without feeling guilty.

But don't forget that you are mainly feeling sad because airports are generally dull and stressful places where it's easy to be introspective - once the holiday begins in earnest, you'll probably be too busy and having too much of a good time to feel terribly sad!

Enjoy your holiday on the gorgeous Amalfi coast, and don't be afraid to let those sad feelings wash over you occasionally. You can't process them fully unless you do. Sending Flowers

Dollysuite · 02/08/2019 10:57

We experienced this back in May. Our first ‘real holiday’ alone in 30 years (as opposed to odd weekends). We still have adult DCs (and partners) coming on holiday with us, but that was the first one alone. I found it sad and I admit, stressful - we went to the USA - so I was leaving my DCs on the other side of the world (I’m not normally so dramatic 😀).
You are right to feel sad - it’s the end of an era. But you’re moving into a new era - It’s time for you and DH now.
Regardless, enjoy your holiday Flowers

StraffeHendrik · 02/08/2019 11:08

Oh no! Mine are tiny and just thinking about when they are grown up makes me feel sad!

However I am going on holiday tomorrow with DM and kids plus rest of family. So maybe just think of this as a childfree phase and enjoy it!

NoSauce · 02/08/2019 12:14

I love going on holiday without mine. Shoot me. I spend my life making sure theirs is good so a week away with DH or a mate is the least I deserve.

Mother87 · 02/08/2019 18:34

Billybagpuss - despite my poignant/they grow up so fast/sad faces post earlier - I just remembered that last time I was away I really missed our DCats a lotGrinGrinGrin

Original poster
Icequeen01 · 08/08/2019 11:30

Well I thought I would give a little update to my post. I think we spent the first day missing DS and even spoke to him on the phone (well we spoke, he grunted back 😀😀). We spent a day in Pompeii early on and my DH suddenly said DS would have hated this! It was then that we really realised the advantages of not having him there. The hotel is just fabulous and very few children which I’m ashamed to confess we have enjoyed. We fly home tomorrow and we are really looking forward to seeing DS but have soooooo enjoyed this holiday and are already talking about coming back next year. So thank you all so much for not making me feel pathetic and for holding my hand until I realised there is still fun to be had without DS!

OP posts:
Panicmode1 · 08/08/2019 12:43

Fantastic, so glad you have had a wonderful time!

imclaustrophobicdarren · 08/08/2019 12:53

I have a 5yo DS and I actually just cried thinking about that Grin swear the weirdest things make me beef!

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