To ask if you take your children out alone

[ijustdontcareifhedid]

I don’t mean to the park or soft play, more big days out.

YABU yes

YANBU no

Why on earth wouldn’t I? It would be incredibly restricting to wait til another person was available, even if in a relationship.

Took my 3 to Disneyland Paris this summer on my own, including driving there via eurotunnel. Was quite proud of myself tbh.

Why on Earth would I ask? They're half of me, I had a very pivotal role bringing them in to the world. I carried them and birthed them. Absolutely they come on big days out with me. I have even taken them away for 5 nights. I don't ask. It's a case of giving some notice and saying between x and y dates, me and the children are away in <rough area eg forest of dean>.

This reminds me of that post called ‘when do you stop sitting in the back seat of the car with the baby’ it took a few posts but it turned out the mom was sitting in the back seat beside the baby car seat for every journey. The baby was not a newborn, this was their way of life.

It was really amazing to most people here. As this is.

Yes, all the time, especially when they were pre-school and I was at home with them all day, I actually found it easier to head out for the day than try and keep them entertained at home. I've taken 3 under the age of 10 to Paris for the weekend on my own, that was pushing it a bit 😂

Yes. Whilst we love days out and holidays as a family, DH and I can often have different work schedules or different interests. I often take DC for a little weekend away without DH. I don't drive due to health, so managing three on public transport can be a lot, but it's worth it.

I generally try to avoid it. My kids are quite hard work. Looking back I suspect me and my older sibling were similar. One is ND with a diagnosis and the other is likely ND but without. Both stubborn and the younger one always thinks they know better than adults about everything. Both constantly asking questions, and will happily say what they see whether their opinion is welcome or not. One is socially immature and still has the odd tantrum in public (year 7) but looks like a teen.
I'm thinking of a trip to the West End in the summer for us to see 'Oliver'. It's just one train line for us now, and I'd like to take both, but think it will have to be a family trip with DH too.

Yes! Always have done and often find days out just me and kids (there are 3 of them now, but often took my 2 nieces as well so would be 4/5 children and just me) more chilled as DH is always stressed about crowds/leaving early before traffic etc and doesn't let them play for long in the playgrounds because eg "we've come to see the animals not play in park - could have done that at home for free" whereas I'll make a day of it happy to let them play as long as possible and tire them out maybe even get dinner on way home and take their pjs in car so if they fall asleep on way home easy transfer to bed!! But I used to be a childminder and work in preschools so was used to wrangling multiple small children!

However, if it was a theme park I would go with DH as sometimes one child might not want to do a particular ride and it wouldn't be fair to make all the others miss out or if one needed the loo while in a queue etc it's just easier to split up and do some rides separately.

I go on lots of adventures with my 1 year old and 3 year old and did during my maternity leave too.

We go on days out to far away national trust places and on Hikes or to visit far away friends.

I’m so grateful for the memories and the time we get to spend together.

In some ways I find those day trips easier than when we do a big day out with DH because my expectations are different. I expect to have to do everything and I think generally the expectations are lower if I’m on my own. I still enjoy it though and the solo trips come with a sense of achievement.

Of course!
Why should what they get to do be restricted to having 2 adults present all of the time.
(Excluding any possible medical/safety requirements etc).

I took DD to a theme park when she was 5, and to London for a show when she was 6, however I made that easier to navigate by booking a hotel very close to the theatre so we didn't have to traipse across the city. That said we did go for a wander and got a bit lost, but Google maps saved the day 😂 I admit I don't know if I could have handled 2 though, doing those trips. I probably would have waited till they were a few years older.

Yes, as does DH. It's easier now they're a bit older (preschool & primary) but i still took them both out even when the youngest was a baby. I wouldn't take them swimming by myself but now my eldest is a competent swimmer I probably would.

One of my happiest memories comes from when my children were both nursery age, so didn't have to be there. If it was a sunny June or early July day, I'd very occasionally ring in and say we weren't coming in, rearrange my freelance work, and we would drive down to the coast for the day. I felt sorry my husband was in the office, but I wasn't going to miss some precious beach time in the sun.

There's only me and her, so yes, all the time.

Yes, I take them away for weekends/short breaks by myself too (I have 3). Have done this since they were babies/toddlers.

Completely depends on the children, their ages and where you’re going. I couldn’t take my baby and eldest out to a big day alone as my eldest has additional needs and found the days generally overwhelming and it would always end with a meltdown I couldn’t manage by myself with a baby. Now they’re both a bit older (neither babies or toddlers) I can do it as my eldest can articulate when they need to leave.

Before we realised my eldest had additional needs and wasn’t just a “terrible 2”, people were pretty rude that I found it so difficult. Be kind to yourself and do what works for you.

If it's hard work I'd go with DH until they're a bit older and stick to smaller days out when it's just you. These answers aren't really relevant as all DC are different, the thing to go by is how much 1-1 focus your own DC need to make the day enjoyable and whether 1 person can manage that amd have an enjoyable day without it just being stressful.

It depends on the scale really. I probably wouldn’t fancy a theme park on my own as I don’t really enjoy them/find it easier to have the option to have one adult to each child but smaller days out to a farm park then of course. What I find much better though in all honesty is 1:1 time. I love taking one child into London to go to the theatre or a museum. I don’t particularly enjoy taking both at the same time on my own. I enjoy being able to let them bed led by what is interesting them and not having to compromise with each other/bicker.

Cost wise I don’t think I’d do a holiday abroad without my husband- by the time you’ve done one adult and 2 kids it’s not going to be much different price wise to 2 adults and 2 kids. If I was a single parent I would though.

Not that I’ll ever confess IRL, but some of the loveliest memories with my 3X SDCs were when we left their dad at home 😅 going where I wanted, working to a timetable that suited just me.

Smaller activities or days out yes. So going to the cinema, the beach in summer, local science museum, the zoo (when we had a membership) or nearest big city to do museums or shopping/activities would be done woth just one of us.

Bigger days out like theme parks, or a weekend away would be as a family. Our budget is lower so we would maybe only go for one weekend away or two or three bigger days out a year so we do these as a family. Plus we have two dc and they don't always want to do exactly the same thing. So two adults can split up easier.

Absolutely, I take my DD on trips overseas for the day and she's still a pre-schooler. And considering there are a number of single parents, I can't imagine they just sit around the house all day doing nothing as the children would run riot.

I'm not understanding some posters surprise here? At themeparks/zoos etc it is primarily families or 1 adult 1 child so it does seem to be the norm. Obviously there are times where 1 parent takes 2 or 3 children, but even then it's often with other parents as a group to make the dynamic easier then too.

I was a single parent for 13 years and went on holiday, days out, theme parks etc with my DD. It made us extremely close and those memories are so precious. So yes, we do.

Had to with DS as his dad was a selfish got who refused to do anything that wasn't directly for his own benefit.

DD (3) is a thousand times more demonic than her big brother ever was, and frankly I can't guarantee I can manage her - if I needed to carry DS out (happened once, that was enough for him) I could, but DD is much more strong willed, more dramatic and just plain wilful... I can't even lift her when she's kicking and screaming! I obv do take her out but I choose very carefully and tend to save 'day out' type trips for when DP can come so we can share the joy and not throw an expensive entry fee down the drain because the delightful toddler is having a moment!

Yes, regularly. I've also taken them on short breaks to other parts of the UK without DP also.