What are your thoughts on holidaying without your children?

[Dinoswearunderpants]

Curious to know if people think it's ok to regularly go on holiday without their kids.

I personally like going away with my DS but I see so many people on social media often go away without their kids.

If you do it, do you take your kids away another time?

Love to know peoples thoughts.

I guess the AIBU is

I have always been away without my kids at least once a year. It keeps me sane.

Adult only holidays are magnificent.

edited to add we have a child free weekend every other weekend and so we often go away for those too ( not that they’d notice!)

That's a days wage though so pretty much equal to a holiday club.

Those that have both grandparents who can look after the and be able to afford the associated costs are very privileged and it's not something I've really come across in my real life!

One grandmother isn't able to look after the kids, the other grandmother wouldn't even if hell was freezing over!

@justteanbiscuits so leave them with your DH and return the favour. I don't have grandparents.

I also think it's a really important message to send our children, particularly daughters, that they should centre themselves in their own lives, you are absolutely the most important person in your life. That doesn't translate to selfishness, it's much easier to give yourself to others in an honest and open way if you value yourself.

No-one ever got prizes for being the biggest martyr.

Yes please, sounds delightful. I've done it a few times . You need non- parent time

We have done a few nights away together and I usually go away on a girls weekend once a year. Love spending time with my kids but it’s also great to just be you without being mum for a day or two!

I have never wanted to holiday without our children. Obviously have had weekends away for weddings and adult events where necessary but I enjoy our family holidays too much to miss out on one.

We never did when they were young but have been on a couple of weekends away since they've been old enough to fend for themselves. Logistically it would have been difficult for us to safely leave them with anyone but we never really wanted to anyway so it wasn't an issue. Youngest leaves school this year so DH and I are planning our first long holiday without our children for the Autumn. I am really looking forward to not being tied to school holidays for the first time in 20 odd years I must say!

Personally I can't see myself ever wanting to have a holiday without kids as I'd want to spend precious holiday time with them, having fun as a family etc. One or two nights for a weekend would be different.

I wouldn't judge others for going away without their kids if that's what they feel they need for their own wellbeing. Personally, I love nothing more than spending time with my dd, so I never wanted to go away without her.

She's a young adult now, but we've always travelled really well together and we still do. I hope she'll be willing to come on holiday with us for a while yet!

What a load of bollocks

We don't have holidays without the dcs. They're 5 and 1, and 1yo likes bfing to bed and our bedtime routine, so I don't think we'd consider it until they are much older. I love our family holidays though and would miss them if we went away. We don't do date nights either - I'd find it intrusive to have a babysitter in our house.

We were in a relationship/married for over a decade before dcs came, so we did plenty before they arrived. And we'll do plenty when they are a bit older- but for now family time takes priority.

I wouldn’t go on holiday without DS but I know plenty of people who do and that’s fine.

DH and I have an overnight hotel stay every couple of months and this suits us.

We were together for a decade before dd arrived too, so like you, we had plenty of opportunities to travel as a couple in that time. Perhaps that makes a difference?

I do both. Weekends with friends holidays with immediate family, extended family and friends.

Someone should have told my mother that. If mummy martyrdom was an olympic sport she'd have been a ten time gold medalist.

And she wasn't quiet about it either. Eeeeveryone needed to know that she always put herself last and never had or did anything for herself because we came first.

Funnily enough, it didn't feel all warm, fuzzy and loving to be on the recieving end of all that sacrifice.

Lol. Comments like this just crack me up.

So sanctimonious and ridiculous.

Yes, of course those of us that go on child free breaks do so because we hate our children........

Agree with this.

Our oldest is non-speaking autistic and the closest family we have is 2.5 hours away.

DH and I took both DS1 and DS2 on holidays abroad quite a bit when they were babies and toddlers. We did much more travelling with them than we did when it was just us. With the boys both being over 5 it’s more expensive and our oldest needing certain accommodations in place wherever we stay, it’s more difficult to go as a family. DH and I take solo trips to recharge due to one of us having to be home with the children. We enjoy them and do the things we like to do. I love them because I can see and do a lot of things without constantly having to stop for the loo, food, or a drink and I don’t have to worry about anyone else but me for a change.

You had all the time before and all the time after to do your own thing. Being a parent comes first.

I got pregnant 6 months into the relationship so actually we didn't have lots of time before we became parents to do our own thing.

News flash, you don’t have to give up your identity and just become a parent and nothing else once you have children. You can still be a husband/wife/friend/individual person.

It’s so great going away without children! Yes, you miss them (or think you will 😂) but when you’re away it’s just so relaxing, and lovely to take time to be an adult, do adult things, and reconnect with a friend or partner. Or just yourself.

I think it’s really important for a relationship to have time away together, no kids, bit of hot sex, nice meals, galleries, whatever your vibe is.

I also think it’s good for the children as it models healthy relationships.

Depends what you mean by a holiday - a week, two weeks, or a quick couple of days? I've done a couple of solo holidays which have been bliss, just two or three days wandering the churches and cathedrals and museums with nobody to complain they're bored. But equally I've loved taking my kids away on little city break adventures. We don't have a big two week holiday, just grab a few days away once or twice a year when possible. I wouldn't like to be away from them for more than a week.

We were lucky enough to have grandparents nearby that were happy to have our DDs for a long weekend so we made the most of it. I’m very glad we did as we are now empty nesters and still like each other! It’s not good to focus completely on children at the expense of your relationship.

We also had family holidays with the kids.

I've done it before a few times for a few days, I never have a break so it was fun the few times I did it but now they're older I don't go as it's not so exhausting parenting them.

We do all combinations, family holiday, holidays with both sets of in laws, breaks away just the 2 of us, individual girls trips / boys trips. It’s nice to break it up.

whatever your comfortable with, no one should judge. Do you, it’s really no one else’s business.