Longest you have been away from your children

[Mala]

What has been the longest time you have been away from your child(if at all).

I haven't as yet, but at the end of the year I am planning on going away for a 10 days-it's on work and I can't take dd(4)

Has anyone had experience of this?

4 days when I was in hospital, although DSs have been away for three days without us before.

Saw my ds's for 5 times in 8 weeks once - it was awful.

not even a whole day and ds is nearly 5 and 8.

Two glorious nights, to friends. Without their father, either. It was bliss. But so rare I think it was a one-off.

2 nights away from DS when I was having DD. Never had the luxury of him or her going overnight to someone else yet..lol

10 days and 5 days and 2 weekends per year for work (DS is 3.5). Grandma comes to stay to help DH.

As this time away is the only work I do right now I really look forward to it (in fact my next trip is on Mon for 10 days, can't wait ), I must be a really bad Mother .

My dps had the boys for 2 weeks when we moved house - it was fantastic to be able to pack and get completely straight without them around. (They were 3 and 5).

It's also a wonderful memory for my parents - they had a great fortnight doing lots of exciting trips and grandparent things. A couple of months later my dad was diagnosed with cancer and has been on a downward spiral ever since (3.5 years now). They often say how precious that fortnight is to them, and how pleased they were to have that time with the boys, though they didn't realise at the time that they wouldn't get a similar chance again.

Never overnight. DH has put them to bed twice without me.

They are 3 and 2.

A few hours. He's nearly 3.

Two weeks when we went to South Africa. Off for 6 days in May with dh. My parents are fab and will have the children whenever we need to get away. They stay most weeks for one or two nights at their house.

For 18 hours at a xmas works do, we stayed the night because it was 50miles away. I hated it as youngest was 5 months, and exclusively breastfed,so very very sore norks!!

3 weeks. for work. it was incredibly stressful coz it was to a shit-hole of a place with quite serious security issues (iraq in 2003 to be precise) and I became very worried about ever making it back. that apart I missed them horrendously but (whispers) I did find it somewhat liberating and even enjoyable.

For 4.5 weeks when I was in hosp. having DD, although DS came in for an hour or so nearly every day. They go for a week - 10 days 4 or 5 times a year to my Ps - everyone loves it, DS first went at 3.4, and DS was 1.2 the first time.

I have had a couple of weekend breaks without children. It is nice to have a bit of a break from time to time.
Never had longer than that though, as I don't think anyone would have them for a longer period of time!

I'm looking forward to it, I am planning on going and seeing lots of films during my free time and having a lie-in if I can.
Just hope dd isn't too upset by my absence....

A night away every now and again.
I think I would fade away with misery if I had to spend longer than 2 or 3 nights away from them,although logically can see that it is an excellent thing for a mother's mental health and heartily applaud all who do so.

My dh spends 6 weeks at a time awy which I know he finds very difficult.

Someone posted a while ago here about going on holiday with their older child and leaving the new baby (2/3 weeks?) home with the father.
Each to their own and all that,but i couldn't begin to comprehend wanting to leave a newborn.)

"I missed them horrendously but (whispers) I did find it somewhat liberating and even enjoyable"

Exactly my feelings. Miss them and DH, can't wait to get back, fret about whether I'll even make it back (I'm normally in Connecticut so this is an anxiety too far) but there is something rather liberating about being alone again.

Funnily enough I talked to a fellow mother at DD1's school today who'd been away for work for a week somewhere interesting (can't remember where) and she said something very similar.

ds about 4 days when went away with dh to Venice when he was 2. dd about 48 hours left with dh while I went on a ski weekend.

So love being alone though.
Always remember somthing Libby Purves wrote about the joy of skipping off sans nappies,clothes,wipes etc.

I crave that....

three dasy regularly

5 days

We have the odd night away every few months or so - mainly when we visit the ILs up North and dh and I bugger off for a night leaving the kids with doting grandparents who hardly get to see them. Everyone's happy.