How far are you comfortable traveling without your young children?

[Pumpkinseason3]

Just that really…
Prompted by a post by an acquaintance on social media who has just departed on a 3 week trip with her partner while the various family members chip in with childcare for their pre-schooler (all detailed in her FB post). Three different locations for a week each, final and furthest being the Maldives.

Provided you had the family support/funds etc - could you see yourself doing this? I don’t think that I personally could relax knowing I was that far away for that long. But then I don’t have any family support so maybe being in a position where your kids are super comfortable with grandparents etc would make it a different situation?
No judgement either way - I’m just curious 😊

Absolutely no way! My kids are close to my parents but wouldn't want to stay there without us for more than 1 or 2 nights. I would miss them too much too. That also feels too far away in terms of flight times in case of an emergency.

I went to Australia for 2weeks when mine were 4 and 2. The were with their dad

Personally I could only be a couple of hours drive from my children, they are young though. If they were older maybe a couple of hours flight away. I'm quite anxious though and wouldn't go away without my children for a long while.

I don't judge others for leaving their children whilst going abroad, but three weeks is a long time.

How far… any distance and I am often required to do so for work.

How long… that’s a different question. IMO three weeks is a long time to go on a holiday and leave a young child behind, presumably because the holiday doesn’t suit their needs / won’t be as enjoyable for the parents.

I have my own preschooler and we take them with us - but we accommodate based on what will work for them eg not really bothering with long haul for now, using a nanny or crèche to allow some downtime etc.

Albeit - kid may well be perfectly happy with grandparents for three weeks.

Well I think it's a long time duration wise and wouldn't have done it, the actual travel time if you had to get back in an emergency is 16 hours so not as horrendous like yesteryear when it would have taken days.

I'd go to the other side of the world if I trusted that they were in good hands with responsible, loving family members. But not for as long as 3 weeks unless the person I'd left them with was their father.

I don't think I'd much enjoy going for that long, to be honest, no matter what. A week away is a nice break but after that the balance tips and I start missing them more than I am enjoying the break.

I went to Australia for 2 weeks when dd was 17 months old and to the Western US when she was probably 3/4. So I guess pretty far. I had no worries about that. She was home with Dh who is perfectly competent. Now we wouldn’t both go away because we have no one who could look after them (no family support). But with one of us home with them, I wouldn’t even give a seconds thought to travelling anywhere, though probably not for more than a few weeks.

I’ve travelled for work and to see friends when mine were little and with their Dad/grandparents. Mainly the USA, so easy to get home from.

For me, 1 week is as much as I’d like to do away from them. No judgement to others! Men never get this judgement when they’re away from their family.

We travelled 4000km to a wedding when DDs were 3 and 5. Left Friday, home Sunday. (Back to the UK, we were the ones abroad)

Children had a whale of a time with grandparents, no difference to when we went to the hotel half an hour away!

I've travelled to the states, kids were with their dad. If it was both me and my husband leaving the kids...idk if I'd even want to leave town.

2 weeks has been my maximum, mainly as I miss them! Distance is fine, I'd go to Australia etc. I wouldn't leave them in the care of anyone I didn't trust to cope in an emergency without me.

DC have usually spent a night at grandparents each week from very young, been on holiday with them without us and see them almost daily as they would do childcare and school runs at times, included in this are some aunties/uncles/cousins. Both DH and I grew up being very close to extended family and that aspect or the distance doesn't bother me it really is just the length of time.

That being said Dh had to go and work abroad several times for 8 weeks and I don't think there was any questioning of him about how he felt leaving his young children!

Honestly, I think I would quietly be a bit judgey about a couple skipping off on a luxury holiday for three weeks leaving their child with a patchwork of childcare.

I could get over the distance but three weeks is a bloody long time.

It’s great for people who have strong family support to be able to have a child-free break but three weeks?!

For work, frequently (at least every 3 months) to the US. Often California so pretty far! Never more than a week though.

Solid agree men don't get judged like this. A dad at DSs school is currently doing a few months in Dubai for work, then a week here, then back to Dubai. Everyone is so full of admiration for his dedication to family. A woman would never get the same comments.

Not a chance 3 weeks! 🤯 I did a short 4 night trip to Europe somewhere within a 2hr flying distance but never again, I couldn't even enjoy myself

I remember my parents going on a 2 week Caribbean cruise and they only had the odd bit of a wifi each time they reached the next port and left my 3 year sister at our grandparents (I was a teenager at the time) and I thought it was crazy cos' I couldn't be that far and have such lack of communication also

I went to Australia for 2 weeks while they were 5 and 2. They stayed at our house with my mum. One of my oldest friends was getting married plus it was our 1st wedding anniversary. I didn't want to travel that far for a few days so we decided 2 weeks would be ok. The kids were fine and we spoke most days.

Travelled globally for work and also went on long distance holidays a couple of times for c.10 days. It was an opportunity for DC to spend time with their DGP's as we lived abroad and would holiday leaving from London.

I couldn't and wouldn't do this. Especially not for a holiday. I simply wouldn't enjoy it.

Having said this, I'm a SAHM to 2 under 4 and one of my children has a medical condition that means they can become very unwell very quickly, so I understand others may feel differently.

Interesting to see others views 😊 As I said, no judgement either way! DH travels for work as a permanent part of his job and it’s rough on both him and our child.

Completely agree with the comments about men not being judged and questioned btw - I don’t know the dad, only the mum but the partner she is traveling with is the father of the child so it’s both parents going on the holiday.

It’s great that they have such close family that they feel comfortable with them doing that level of childcare 😊 it’s not something I have so I struggle a bit to understand that level of trust tbh!! DC is 4 and I’ve done one night away (2h train ride) but DC was with DH. DC goes to nursery within walking distance of my house and my work 😅 I’m not sure that I’d even leave the town without them unless they were with my DH tbh 🙈😂

I went on a weeks holiday to Tenerife with friends when dd was 3yo, she stayed with her nan.

I really missed her and hated being that far away, never did it again and she's nearly 19 now!!!

I travelled a lot internationally for work without thinking twice, from shortly after I went back after maternity leave. I regularly go on short solo holidays in Europe and the US. DS also travelled to our home country to stay with his grandparents for up to a week from when he was v small.