To go on holiday without kids?

[Toskiornottoskii]

I want to go skiing. Really as a family. Problem is DP doesn’t ski yet. Kids would be just turned 1 and just turned 4 in spring. So they would just be in ski crèche.

My latest idea is to do a 4 day midweek break. Leave the kids with grandparents. DP can learn how to ski.

This is potentially not the best for 1 yo. But would be heaven for the 4 year old.

If we wait until next year then we have reception/ school to contest with and I feel like we should be at home then as I don’t want grandparents having to get eldest to school.

Is this a bonkers idea?

Except this isn't a big family holiday. It's a couples holiday. No kids allowed

Not sure how much your dp would learn in 4 days but otherwise I’m all for child free short breaks if you’re able to and they can stay with grandparents, why not? You’ve had some really weird responses on here

'most kids love ski holidays ' I would have hated a ski holiday as a child!

Because ten is the earliest I would be happy to leave a child unattended to go to the shops for example as they have reached a certain level of independence. Anything under 10 is what I would call a small child.

That seems very old to me. Maybe it explains your attitude here though!

That wasn't the premise of the original post. Hence asking for opinions.

As long as grandparents are happy to care for your DC for 4 days, then no it’s not neglectful. Your DC should be fine. Whether it’s too much for grandparents, I don’t know, depends on their age/health.

Selfish? Possibly, but in terms of pressurising your DP to learn to ski so that you can recreate your own family holidays which he isn’t really interested in. It’s not selfish in terms of leaving the DC as I can’t imagine they would enjoy spending 4 days in a crèche in the cold anyway.

I guess if your DP wants to learn to ski, then it’s all fine. But if he decides he doesn’t enjoy it and doesn’t want to spend future years holidays skiing then you may need to accept this is something for you to do alone or with friends. To continue to pressurise your DP and family in future years would be selfish and unreasonable.

What's old about it? You leave children under 10 unattended? Maybe that explains your attitude.

Sure. Kids around here walk to/from school alone from the age of nine. They go to the shops and the park alone too. Considering they go to secondary at 11, 10 seems very old to be starting that journey to independence.

Sounds like a good plan to me. Of course the kids will be fine with grandparents! Ignore the jealous martyrs who thinks nobody should be separated from their children ever…

I hope your DH loves it and gets the hang of it quickly.

Leaving children with Grandparents has nothing to do with leaving them unattended though so why does it matter that at age 10, they are at an age they are ready for independence in your eyes?

What about just 1 night? Would that be 10 too? Or younger because it isn't 2+ nights?

Come along to the Holidays board, we’re a helpful bunch.

You take your 9 year old to the toilet with you @IAmThePrettiestManOnMyIsland ?

Do you older children then?

I’d debate the “Does he know how
good it is?” Argument. I’ve been. I can ski reasonably well. Was it amazing and the best holiday I’ve ever had? No. It was a decent holiday but I’ve done far better.
So I’d be wary of the assumption that he only has to do it to love it. It wasn’t my bag and might not be his either.

There isn't a special place in heaven for martyrs, you do know that don't you??

She's planning this trip in order to be able to more easily do future ski trips as a family. She wants to be able to share the experience she most enjoyed as a child with her family, with her kids.

She’s mentioned teen nephews…

@IAmThePrettiestManOnMyIsland having two step sons and here you are yet again judging people’s parenting.

In fact I remember you under your other name, you spend your life just judging anyone who doesn’t do as you do.

😆

I used to bus it and then a walk to school from 7 or 8. Why the would a 9 year be incapable of staying alone in the house for 10 mins

I would go on mini break first and see if your DP enjoys it. You don't have to ski to enjoy a ski break. When you are ready to go as a family I would suggest taking a holiday nanny (or grandparents) with you. I used to do holiday nannying and one of best ones I did was with a family on their ski holiday. They took someone with them as then they could ski but still have someone look after their young children. I loved it. I was a non skier but there was lots for me to do in the resort with the children and by myself. Ski resorts are great even for walkers.

That depends very much on the resort. In some, there are lots of trails on which you can walk or cross-country ski, and train connections to other places so non-skiers can explore the area, but some of the purpose-built ones in particular (which may have lots of hiking in summer) are completely devoid of interest for the non-skier in ski season, unless you’re prepared to read and look at mountains all the time.

I can ski but loathe it and never do any more, but where we go is to some friends who have a family chalet in the Swiss alps, so there are proper towns and good public transport.

So @IAmThePrettiestManOnMyIsland doesn't actually have her own children?
She is sat in her ivory tower judging us who actually have children on how we parent ours?!?!

Ha brilliant. I always think ‘more fool them’.

I’ve head plenty of holidays with and without my kids over the years. They were always very happy with my parents who equally loved spending time with them.

I