Would it be wrong to travel without the children after passport mistake?

[Halohalolumpia]

Alright, so we’ve made a silly mistake and found out our eldest’s passport is expired, and we fly tomorrow. We didn’t get travel insurance so that’s a couple of grand down the drain. The two options are to leave the kids ( 2 years 9 and 5 years 8 months) with my parents whom they stay with every week anyway. Or we just all don’t go. It’s such a waste and I am torn. My hubs is ok going on our own but I feel sooooo guilty! The kids were so looking forward to it. Has anyone been in this situation and is it bad parenting going on our own :/ We’ve been away on our own before for a wedding for a couple of days but not 6 days. thanks xx

That’s even worse, surely 😣

Is there any way you can reschedule ? Some operators are very sympathetic and may be could reschedule for a cost ?

The ages of your kids are really unclear in your post. Are they 2, 9 and 5 or are they 2 and 5? Is there an 8 month old? I ask because a 9 year old would be impacted by this and will remember. A 2 year old would have zero idea about going on holiday. My 2 year old doesn’t even know what day of the week it is let alone if we are going on holiday. A 5 year old might understand the concept of a holiday but mine would not have known or understood when the holiday was happening and if I’d told him he was going to granny’s for a week and getting a massive treat he would have been thrilled. If he asked about the holiday I’d book another one for summer, even just a few days to make up for it

Tbh I don’t think insurance would have covered this anyway.
Two of my adult children have had to get emergency passports and it’s very doable (one forgot to renew and one was going somewhere with unusual rules).

That sounds mean & wtaf NO insurance!!?

How can you manage a family when you’re so disorganised?

Another one adding weight to the irresponsible decision to travel with two very young children with no travel insurance.
The decision to go on holiday is yours alone, it’s you who would have to try and explain to them why they can’t go but you can but trying to explain to them they are desperately ill and you can’t afford the medical bills to help them is a hell of a lot worse.

My dippy work colleague paid for emergency passport, went to Peterborough on a Monday, got her child's passport on the Thursday.

Another one who didn't check the passport expiry date. Blamed her hubby who didn't know child passport lasts 5 yrs. 😔

I think, as the OP has not returned to her thread, we can assume that she did indeed go on holiday and leave her children behind because of her error…

I still think it’s a rage bait post and a fake story tbh

You think op can't manage a family because she didn't clock one passport was out of date? Must be awesome being as perfect as you, never making any mistakes or overlooking anything. Lucky you

Good plan.

Yes it is bad parenting to do just that.how could you even think to leave them when they were looking forward to it.as a Mother I would do anything and everything to have all the family away together.you and your husband however!

Not me. But then I’d also never travel without insurance. Irresponsible. And that’s without mentioning the expired passport…

I really hope this is a joke or bored journo.

You can get emergency passports for children. It could still take a week, because it's not a medical emergency

One of you goes on holiday with the kids who have passports and the other stays home with the oldest and tries to make it up to them.

I think that would be a horrible thing to do. I also would be horrified that my husband suggested it. Deeply unkind.

I would probably do one parent and child go, and the other gets the passport asap and catches up.

I also feel bad for the grandparents, it's one thing to have your DGCs once a week while the parents are nearby if needed. It's another thing to drop two young DCs off for a week with no notice and not really any chance for them to say no.

You don't sound organised enough for holidays abroad. I can't believe you were going to travel without insurance, it's the cheapest part of the holiday and so important.

This. Exactly this

Answering my own question - nope, almost no one here can read.

Could you actually just leave one child behind? They are 9, they would never forget or forgive it!

I can't believe you are even asking if you could go without them! They might be kids but they have feelings.

How can you glean any meaningful insight into their general levels of organisation from a single example? 🙄