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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that parents should not go on holiday without their little ones.

212 replies

Wolliw · 26/02/2010 13:32

I hear it again and again. "OH and I have a holiday booked six weeks after I'm due to give birth. Baby will be fine being passed around relatives."

It's a different kettle of fish when an older child loves spending a week with Grandma, but I often read about very young children being left with someone while their parents go on holiday. The underlying theme is that some people think they are entitled to dessert their small children in the same way as they get annual leave at work.

OP posts:
Morloth · 26/02/2010 13:59

The last time DH and I went away without DS he was 2(ish) would have been wildly inappropriate to take him, there was lots of shagging going on.

DS was staying overnight at GPs/Aunties from about 2 months. That is the way it is done in our family, we share it all out. When I move home I fully expect to be overrun with nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews every weekend again.

Not everyone views their family as Mum, Dad and Kids - lots of people are more inclusive and flexible.

swanandduck · 26/02/2010 14:03

The last time DH and I went away without DS he was 2(ish) would have been wildly inappropriate to take him, there was lots of shagging going on.

?????? In public?

PestoMonster · 26/02/2010 14:03

I think parents should be able to do as they please, without being judged by outsiders not in possession of all the facts.

MrsGravy · 26/02/2010 14:07

You honestly hear and read that again and again??? Where do you live and what do you read?? At the ripe old age of 33 and with loads of friends who are parents, I've NEVER heard ANYONE say that? Or even read it.

Seems like a non-issue to me. I think I might just roll my eyes out of my head too...

Morloth · 26/02/2010 14:08

No swanandduck it was one of those extremely exclusive resort type places (only 4 cabins) which had private pools and fences (and was waaaaaaay up a mountain on a huge property in the Hunter Valley). Just the two of us, for a week, no clothes, skinny dipping, a day bed...

Was fantastic

We did get dressed to drive to the wineries for dinner though.

swanandduck · 26/02/2010 14:09

Sorry Morloth. I thought a gang of you were going away together and I was wondering what your dc could potentially have been exposed to.

Morloth · 26/02/2010 14:10

LOL, yes sorry I could see how my original post could read like that.

No, we are not that exciting.

OtterInaSkoda · 26/02/2010 14:15

My eyes rolled so far I've had to pick them up off the floor and rinse the dust bunnies off them.

MmeLindt · 26/02/2010 14:17

YABU

Not that I think that lots of people leave 6 week old babies.

We have left our DC with GPs to go away for a few days. It means that we can do 'grown-up' holidays - city breaks - that DC would hate.

noblegiraffe · 26/02/2010 14:20

So long as they express enough milk before they go and keep pumping while away to maintain their supply, I can't see a problem.

SparklyJules · 26/02/2010 14:30

Well..... don't know if I'm going to get flamed, but here's my story:

We left DD for a week when she was 5 months. DH and I went on honeymoon to Abu Dhabi. I hated/loved it in equal mueasure. She stayed with my parents, who took her to their holiday house in the Hebrides and also took her visiting to see her other grandparents and DH's great-aunt who was about 90 and visiting from the States for our wedding.

I kinda felt pushed into the honeymoon by my mum and DH, and I had some real sad moments that week, but I loved the break, even though it was a guilty-beating-myself-up-don't-enjoy-it-I'm-a-terrible-mother type of feeling! It wasn't an amazing honeymoon - all I remember is sleeping all the time!

DD was very happy during the holiday - all her needs were being met, she was being doted on by my parents (who are very capable, so I had no worries on that score). She seemed very happy with them (daily phonecalls) and they were over the moon at having her to themselves for the week!

I did cry when we were finally reunited at the airport, it was very emotional!

thesecondcoming · 26/02/2010 14:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Jamieandhismagictorch · 26/02/2010 14:46

I've never heard of this.

Do journalists do this a lot then ?

tummytime · 26/02/2010 14:52

Never go on holiday without DCs? ever? as per your thread title. What about when they're teenagers (still technically little) or is it okay if they're more than 1yo?

swanandduck · 26/02/2010 14:53

tummytime
Talk about twisting a post to mean something totally different.

sarah293 · 26/02/2010 14:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

ShinyAndNew · 26/02/2010 14:58

I went to Zante with my best friend when dd1 was about 10 months old. She was 'passed around relatives' and my sanity was saved. Your point being?

Francagoestohollywood · 26/02/2010 14:59

I've never heard of anyone leaving their 6 weeks old baby for more than a few hrs...
I think YABU.

tummytime · 26/02/2010 15:01

She chose the thread title Swanandduck... If she'd meant 6 weeks and under she should perhaps have made it slightly clearer.

Jamieandhismagictorch · 26/02/2010 15:02

< puts hand up >

I went away for a night when DS1 was 8 weeks old.

Does this make me evil ?

(my mum and dad videotape pretty much everything that went on , and we watched it when we got back)

groundhogs · 26/02/2010 15:03

Oh trip blooming trap... where is the OP?????

Jamieandhismagictorch · 26/02/2010 15:03

videotaped

Morloth · 26/02/2010 15:04

I used to love being "passed around relatives". I have so many cousins and someone was always doing something fun. I can't even remember taking a bag to visit most times, there was always clothes and stuff there.

Can't wait to take DS back to his family so that he can get passed around a bit. Right now he has to make do with telephone calls.

swanandduck · 26/02/2010 15:05

Tummytime

I think she was assuming a certain level of 'cop on' from the readers.

Nellykats · 26/02/2010 15:06

Some people even leave their children alone to go the toilet. Selfish bastards!