Does anyone take their kids on holiday by themselves?

[allgonebellyup]

I have taken them on several uk holidays by myself and we always have a fairly (!) good time. We usually just go and stay in a cottage somewhere for a week.
When we have gone abroad we usually take my brother or a mate of mine with no kids.

I have just booked a week in ibiza for just myself and the dc in August. Was excited...but now just thinking i am crazy - and everyone there will look at me with pity and think im crazy too??!!

I have gone abroad several times with ds (france, New Zealand and california tree times). It's no different to uk except plane can be more exciting.

Have also flown late at night as cheaper. Just put dc in warm comfy clothes, let them sleep at airport if tired and shuffle onto plane in a semi sleep walk stupour. If they let you board with small dc first then just jump up and do that (regardless of how small your dc are)

Make sure all your luggage is easy (has wheels and pull along handles and that you can manage it yourself if necessary. Ds has his own pull along case but was so tired i had to do it with mine and just shuffle him along.

It'll be fine, stop worrying and start being excited!

I took my DS to Ibiza when he was 2, it was great! It was a super cheap package deal but fortunately we were in a family run hotel and they (the family) were really kind to us. DS played with their kids a lot and they kept checking that I was ok. The Spanish are much more child friendly than we are here - when we went out to restaurants DS was always made a fuss of by the waiters/ other customers and we both felt very welcome. Only negativity I felt during the week was a few glares from other guests by the pool who seemed to be having a miserable time on holiday with their respective partners!

This year I went away twice just with ds. Dh had decided he wanted to do his own music courses this year instead of family hols, so ds and I had a week in Norfolk, and another week in Kent (both self-catering but we ate out a lot.). We had a fab time, even though I don't drive, we got about on buses and trains a lot. In fact it was easier in some ways than going with dh, as he often doesn't want to do the same things as ds (who was 9 when we went away) and I do, e.g. beaches, lifeboat stations etc.

Yes most holidays we have had has been just me and DD. We've had a great time and some fantastic experiences. No-one looked at us with pity or thought we were crazy. Usually met people, other singles, families etc and enjoyed their company.

I have took my dd 1 and ds 6 to San franciso some years ago on my own both ways with a 3 hour transfer in Chicago (just made it). They were great. Meet up with my dh when i got there as he was working aboard but did there and back alone. Still proud of myself.
And that was pre-DS. DS's are fab for long journey's.