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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how often do you “get away”? And with or without DC?

89 replies

Helpsortshit · 25/02/2019 21:44

So today I booked a 5 day city break abroad in April (just me and DH without DC)! We also a have a night away early March...just the two of us to a restaurant we having been dying to go to (in another city so we’re staying over)? We will go on a staycation this year (camping/B&b style) for 10ish days with DC. I also have a spa weekend booked in June (with girlfriends) and a weekend away including concert with other girlfriends in July? Normal or not normal?? I literally had to sort something for each booking today so my mind is taken over with “weekends away” etc so thought I’d ask?
Aibu to have so much booked in February?
How often do you “get away”?

OP posts:
Original poster
Helpsortshit · 25/02/2019 22:42

@FermatsTheorem sounds lush!! Enjoy every moment!!👌

OP posts:
Megan2018 · 25/02/2019 22:43

We can go years!
We’d rather just be at home with the animals, I occasionally look but just don’t fancy it. I suppose it helps that we live in a beautiful rural area popular with tourists. So loads to do and see here!
I love a week off at home, riding my horse around our stunning area and spending lazy days in the pub.
I do like a spa day but don’t stay over- we have Ragdale nearby so no need.

MrsDeanWinchester75 · 25/02/2019 22:43

We've got two separate weeks booked this year in cottages and have our own caravan so will be away most weekends from April - end of October if there are no other plans plus longer breaks in the school holidays.

Always take the kids, I'd hate to go away without them.

EncroachingLoaf · 25/02/2019 22:47

We had two nights away for my birthday in 2015 Blush before that me and DH went on a big holiday in 2012 (pre-kids!).

We don't have any reliable childcare and even if we did we don't have the money to spend on going away anywhere. Wish we could though, there's so many places I'd love to visit. We do live in a beautiful area though so can't complain too much!

Purplejay · 25/02/2019 22:53

Usually a couple of holidays per year of a week or more and then a couple of weekend breaks or camping trips. I have never been away without DS who is 12.

CountFosco · 25/02/2019 22:53

We had a day away from the eldest when I was in labour with DC2. After that nothing until last year (eldest is 10) a friend had the DC for an overnight so we could attend a work event of mine. We don't have anyone who would look after the kids overnight or longer, families all far away.

And because we live far away from our families we spent all our 'holidays' visiting them. Last year was very exciting because we a) took the kids to a festival for a weekend and b) went on a family holiday for the first time ever. It was fabulous. We plan to do the same again this year. Kids are all school age now and we need to do this now.

blue25 · 25/02/2019 22:57

We get away every couple of months. Usually 3/4 holidays abroad each year and the rest just short breaks in the UK. Love exploring new areas. Get very bored just staying at home.

Original poster
Helpsortshit · 26/02/2019 07:57

Those of you that always want to take DC, do you never want just pure grown up time? I couldn’t imagine sightseeing in a European city with my 3 yr old and not being able to sit quietly with a coffee when I wanted (for once) I LOVE my kids but sometimes I just want to be with DH, exploring and doing (more) adult activities without a 3 year old hanging (literally) off us. My 6 year old...yes I could take her but not the toddler!! 😂😂

OP posts:
hopeishere · 26/02/2019 08:01

Week away at Easter booked with kids
Week away in summer booked with kids
Looking to book a second week away
We've a voucher for a night in a hotel so i need to see if my sister will take them for a night.

Weetabixandshreddies · 26/02/2019 08:03

No OP, I never wanted to get away from my children. When they were little our holidays were based around them, doing this that they enjoyed. As they got older we started doing some more sight seeing but still made sure that we had beach and pool time and plenty of things that they enjoyed doing.

Our holidays were family time when we were all together without other commitments. They have both left home now so plenty of time for us to do grown up holidays if we want to. We can't ever get back the time when they were little though.

Singlebutmarried · 26/02/2019 08:09

We go as a family at least once a year for a week, sometimes twice a year.

DH and I also have a week to ourselves as my DM and DF usually take DD on holiday or have her to stay.

Haisuli · 26/02/2019 08:23

I love to have two holidays a year - one week UK, one abroad is nice...don't always manage it.
We also usually manage a weekend away with the kids - stuff like Alton Towers, camping or a city break.
We also generally have a couple of weekends staying with family.

Without the kids, not so much. Our eldest is 14 and I can think of five times we have been away - two weddings, two European long weekends, and one night in a Scottish hotel.

Individually - maybe once a year depending on what's going on - hens and stags, weekends with friends, visiting family.
Not so much, but enough. We're happy with the balance.

MinnieMountain · 26/02/2019 08:40

MIL has DS for a day and a night roughly every 8 weeks. DH and I go for a long walk then to the pub. Sometimes she'll have him for a bit longer like my 40th in Rome or a 40th birthday party we're going to 3 hours away in May.

I walk by myself for a weekend each spring. I will also meet a friend for the day in London twice a year. DH is skiing for a week next month. He also has the odd hockey tournament but he doesn't play regularly now.

Foldingstars07 · 26/02/2019 08:45

We have never been away without DC, eldest is 12.
I did have one night off when DSIL watched my eldest whilst I gave birth to youngest DC.
Both sets of grandparents only bother with DC at Christmas or birthdays so we have no one that would watch them for a few hours let alone overnight.

bringmethehorizonx · 26/02/2019 08:46

Never :(

CandyPuff · 26/02/2019 08:48

Went away before Xmas. First time in 10 years

WhoNose21 · 26/02/2019 08:52

I am a single parent but I’m quite lucky in that ds goes to his dads at the weekend and my family is really close and always willing to baby sit. I have several gigs booked for this year but they won’t mean staying overnight, I am going to a festival, a weekend in London and a week abroad with my dp in September. DS is going to his dads for 3 weeks this year (2 weeks summer holidays, October half term) and my mum and dad are taking ds away for 2 weeks to Spain. I am really lucky I get a lot of time ‘off’. I’ll probaly do a couple of weekends away with ds, we went abroad last year but I think he’d prefer butlins this year. Before I split with ds’s dad though this would have been unheard off, we had about 2 nights out since ds was born as we struggled for baby sitters

Jebuschristchocolatebar · 26/02/2019 09:39

Op I would be about the same as you. We do a big family holiday for two weeks in the summer, a few child friendly weekend breaks throughout the year, usually a week in my parents holiday cottage at some stage and then we go away ourselves without kids maybe twice a year and then I go away with my friends once or twice. I am lucky to have grandparents who love taking the kids and other than that we just bring them with us and adjust our expectations.

MatildaTheCat · 26/02/2019 09:45

When my Dc were young I felt it was really important that I got some time away occasionally as DH was regularly able to go on work and leisure trips. I startered visiting family in NYC then moved on to a yearly three night break to a European city with a friend.

Getting away together wasn’t an option due to childcare and we enjoy different things anyway. We still take separate breaks as well as trips together.

Fullofregrets33 · 26/02/2019 10:03

I have had kids for 8 years now. During those 8 years I have been on zero overnight stays without them. 1. Because I have noone to go with. 2.couldn't afford to anyway.
As a family we go on one holiday a year.

I must say I do get jealous looking at people's photos on social media who go to places like you are without their kids.

BigSandyBalls2015 · 26/02/2019 11:37

Me and DH have always had at least a couple of nights a year away at a hotel without the kids. And have always done separate hols with friends. I appreciate we’ve been lucky to have childcare though, grandparents and friends/god parents

Original poster
Helpsortshit · 26/02/2019 11:42

All in all fairly average then 🙂

OP posts:
Thesearmsofmine · 26/02/2019 11:43

We usually go away three times a year as a family, just very cheap breaks in the U.K usually May, September and a night or two away at some point. Always with dc as we don’t have babysitters. Last year we did 4 !trips away.

We don’t have much disposable income but my DH works shifts and the DC are home ed so we can go away midweek term time. I’d love a night away just me and DH though or even just one at home tbh!

Queenunikitty · 26/02/2019 11:50

We don’t go away without our DC. We had kids later in life though so had all the nights out and city breaks we needed. We both work so want to spend precious time as a family. HTH.

PoesyCherish · 26/02/2019 11:59

Struggling with getting away this year tbh. We'll be going away for a week in August with DSD if I can get time off work. We're also planning to go away May Bank holiday weekend with DSD. DP and I are away for one night later in the year just the 2 of us and then we're hoping to go away for a few days - a week just the 2 of us in November or December time.

We normally go away a bit more but we've got so much going on this year and schedules clashing that it's just not possible.

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