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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask what's the longest period you've been away from your children?

143 replies

HennyPennyHorror · 24/04/2019 14:14

?

OP posts:
Taytotots · 24/04/2019 22:58

Six weeks. I'm a scientist and sometimes go on fieldwork to remote places. The first six week trip my DT were two. I've done one the same length and several shorter trips since then. If it's a long trip grandparents usually come and stay to help DH.

Amanduh · 24/04/2019 23:11

Few hours, prob max 12 - when we’ve been out for the day or evening or both! He doesn’t ‘need’ more time away nor do I, he’s only 2. He’s not ‘clingy’ but I like to spend my time with him!

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 24/04/2019 23:18

3 weeks every summer 😬😬

patchisagoodpup · 24/04/2019 23:27

5 nights for eldest staying with MIL last summer. 3 nights for youngest.

MintyCedric · 24/04/2019 23:28

2 nights for my best mate's hen do when DD was 6yo.

She's now 14 and has got a couple of 2 night residentials coming up in the next few months. Her dad and I split up 3 years ago and she rarely stays overnight with him so it will be very strange!

Kedgeree · 24/04/2019 23:28

A month. They were 14 & 8.

YouBumder · 24/04/2019 23:29

3 nights around my 40th birthday when they were 7 and 4.

Whatafustercluck · 24/04/2019 23:30

3 nights in January - it was a surprise get away to Barcelona for my 40th. DC are 2 and 8. Before that I'd left them for two nights a few times over the course of a few years (work related).

Creamnosugar · 24/04/2019 23:32

3 months for work. They were with their dad.and my mum, mother in law and other family members helped out. I missed them a lot but i was so grateful to get the chance to work on a project and have time to focus on me.

Gibble1 · 24/04/2019 23:50

DD has been going away regularly for 1-7 days since she was 11 with Sea cadets. Has also done school residential and 2 trips abroad.
DS who was always my shadow and the clingy one has been going away since he was 8 (first camp was 4 nights!) anywhere between 1-7 nights. He got himself several hundred miles alone on trains with changes to go sailing with sea cadets at just turned 14 and this year at 15 he is off to the World scout jamboree for 3 weeks and will be in America and then Canada. Lucky sod! He did want me to apply so we could go together but I didn’t as it would have been awful had he not got a place, I couldn’t afford 2 lots of fees and time off work would have been meh! Besides, we’d have been highly unlikely to see each other anyway.
Gawd knows how we’ll cope with him being away for so long. DD is borderline having a breakdown about his safety! (She’s 2 years older.

Stravapalava · 24/04/2019 23:54

DH nad I regularly leave our DC for up to 5 days with their grandparents for a city break. However, the last time we did it, our oldest was very upset and clingy when we got back, so we're rethinking it and maybe will only go for a weekend in future.

TeeniefaeTroon · 25/04/2019 00:19

A week is the longest so far and the eldest is 17. We're about to go on a belated honeymoon for 10 days and the grandparents are taking the kids abroad at the same time. With overlaps at either side (we leave before them and they return after us) it'll be 2 weeks. No idea how I'll cope, our youngest is 6. Thank goodness for FaceTime!

AlexaShutUp · 25/04/2019 00:23

6 nights, but that was when she was away on a school trip. The longest I've been away is 2 nights, and that's very rare.

Babynamess · 25/04/2019 00:23

When they've been on school trips.

Menarefrommarsitwouldseem · 25/04/2019 00:39

2 nights for dc1 when she was 12 months. Hen weekend.

Dc1 and dc2- only ever one night and they're 14 and 10. When I'm the one who's gone away anyway.
may change that soon... possibly. Makes me nervous.
But my friends are going to NYC for 4 nights in November and I really want to go

Dc1 has had a residential trip for 5 nights dc2 will be doing the same next year.

Menarefrommarsitwouldseem · 25/04/2019 00:40
  • one night at a time I should say
Boulezvous · 25/04/2019 00:43

Two - two and a half weeks. Away with their Dad on holiday and being away myself on holiday. I don't think I could do longer.

Boulezvous · 25/04/2019 00:44

I have to live with it as I'm divorced. It's part of my life and has been for 10 years.

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