Leaving children to go on holiday, do you do it and how?

[LDNmummy]

I am sure this question has been asked before but as a new mum to be, I have no experience so please let me know your opinion and advice.

My DP and I are now expecting our first and thrilled. But we are a young couple and have not done all the things we would like to do in terms of travelling to other countries. We have a lot of places in mind to visit, such as Japan, Brazil, New York, Mdagascar, Russia and so on. The kind of trips we have in mind are not always going to be family friendly and are also the kind of trips you spend about two weeks minimum on. I spoke to my partner about this and he said we could leave our DC with his mother, I have no problem with this as I love her to bits and I know the LO would be in the best care possible. But, I also wonder if I would feel ok leaving my MIL to look after the LO for 2 weeks as it is a long time and what I feel to be an imposition. We wouldn't do thhis till the baby was 2 or older but is it a good idea? Have any of you got this arrangement with grandparents?

In short, what do other people do when they want to go on a holiday but without the children? I don't think it is bad to leave the children at home as long as you take them somewhere later too and that they are with close family members who are responsible.

You should start your own thread and not hi jack a very old Zombie one!

No - won't be scared for life. Plenty of people have to leave their children for work reasons.
I'd just sound very bored and resigned to the idea in front of him- you don't want him thinking you are doing something exciting without him. Get his Dad to do some fun stuff whilst he's away ( preferably on the day you leave) and bring back a present. Job done.
As my parents said when I went away ( and felt like you) - don't kid yourself he won't care a jot at 16 about your feelings when he wants to go abroad!

Does your mil want to do this? And is she fit and well? We can't do this as our parents aren't well enough to even babysit. We've taken the kids to lots of different places though. Priorities do change. I love travelling with mine they really enjoy it

Ellefire! It's not abandoning him if he's with his dad. They'll probably have a great time! When mine were 6 and 3 we won a week's holiday to Miami. I didn't want to go, but you can't say no to that can you? so we enlisted the inlaws and everything was fine. My kids are now 13 and 11 and not at all damaged by the experience. Last year my husband turned 40 and me and him went off for another jolly on our own for 5 nights to Italy. It was awesome. I don't particularly yearn for child free time. I love being on holiday all together....but if you get the chance now and again, it's a lovely thing

Aghghgh zombie!!!!!

I wouldn't leave my dc to go on holiday, especially with dh. I'm just really paranoid that if anything happened to us, no one would love them like we do. I also love them too much to want a holiday without them. I have lost interest in going anywhere I couldn't bring them and only want to go to countries in Europe or English speaking in case if any emergency. I know it's not logical and very unlikely, but that's the way I feel.