…to go away for a few nights without my toddler

[candywarhol]

LO is 17m.

I saved up and booked my partner, LO and I a trip away to a European city…The flight is tomorrow for three nights. This was my Big Surprise to partner on Xmas day.

Admittedly in a very stupid moment, I didn’t know children so young needed a passport. I found out yesterday at 2am by chance…

It is too late to make any changes to the date, and, it is of course too late to get her travel docs. My parents (who look after DD regularly for overnight once a week and are amazing Grandparents) have very kindly encouraged me and partner to still go without DD. The only “free” alternative is for none of us to go. It will cost £150 pp to change names on booking etc if I stayed home and he went alone or with a friend. (I am down as lead traveller)

I am so unsure of what to do. My head is full of “Will LO cope for that length of time without me? (Prev been away 2 nights in UK when LO was 1 year) will I cope without LO? Is it terrible to go? Is it healthy?” and I need to decide now.

Can anyone share any similar experiences of leaving a LO and how you decided or found it?

it’s a blessing

a 17 month old on a city break? no thanks

its quite unusual to have your baby stay overnight with grandparents once a week… so i’m guessing you’ll be fine

Go.

LO will be fine and have an amazing time with GP. You trust them and you say yourself they're amazing.

The actual leaving was hard when I left mine alone that young for a few days. But once I'd left them and saw they were very very happy, I got into the excitement of the trip. I thought about them whilst away but knew they were in safe and loving hands.

Have a wonderful time away with your DP.

Wealthy parents leave their children with nannies all the time and you will leave with family which is better. Im sure DD will have great fun with grandparents and not have exhaustion of a short trip.

If she's used to staying with grandparents overnight every week then she'll be fine. My son isn't much older and I never normally leave him overnight but he stayed with grandparents for a few nights recently while I was in hospital having his baby brother and he wasn't fazed at all.

😂

Take the opportunity. Have a wonderful break

I'm amazed you were going to take them at all. Of course they'll be ok.

Well I have no idea why you thought an individual wouldn't need a passport, that's just silly. But you've learnt your lesson.

I don't think it was a particularly great idea to think about taking a toddler this young on a winter city break, personally. It's better if you and your partner go alone IMO, especially if your LO is used to overnight stays at GPs. You're very lucky they have her overnight so regularly, this helps in this scenario.

If she is used to the GPs it will be fine at 17 months - at a similar age my DC and their partner went away for 4 nights and the GC was fine & didn’t even mention them 😂 Now at 2+ it’s different & GC is much more aware and asks after the parents after a short time…

Thank you for this everyone. It’s really helped me feel less crazy about it all. I know it’s so daft to forget she’d need a passport- it’s so obvious.

She'll be absolutely fine. Enjoy your trip!

I can’t imagine why you’d even considered taking them in the first place!

GO.