Husband 50 this year, where can I book/take him for an amazing celebration...oh with our 4 year old in tow!!!!

[dontdillydally]

I wanted him to go to Australia to visit his brother who he hasnt seen for 10 years (cant afford for us all to go) but he insists he wont go with us.

So where can we go on a fantastic holiday - I Was thinking New York, Dubai, BUT we will be taking our DS who will be 5 then so dont think it would suit!!!

I really want it to be special for him

Bump

ha ha Mrs Jammi - Its also "nice" to speak to someone who isnt either erly 30's or 18!!!

Just to clarify in what way do you mean ... am I right in saying you both already have one child but are unsure whether to go for no.2 due to age etc..?

opps sorry I changed my name by the way as just answered another post and didnt want to be recognised - blown that now!!!

We've taken our toddler (then 2.6) to New York and he loved it. Am sure your DS will too. Central Park is fabulous for kids, there are loads of lovely stores and great restaurants which are totally fine with you eating out with small kids in tow. So I'd definitely say New York!

Somewhere else that is fantastic - and would be child friendly - is South Africa. Maybe a small child friendly safari (there are a few places in the non-malarial game parks like Madikwe), garden route, hit a few vineyards on the way and do abit of whale watching from some beaches?

Hope you have a fantastic trip wherever you go.

Mrs Jammi - right very similar to us. I'll worn you a long one....

Hub has 2 dd's - 12 and 14 and we have 1 DS age 4 together.

Never thought we would have any dc as loved just living our lives. Both had come from long relationships and just wanted to like I said live life. Had 2-3 hols a year, great jobs, London once a month - get the picture.

I fell unexpectantly pregnant - both were totally shocked, then I miscarriaged...very sad time. Back to living our lives for the next 2 years. Then all of a sudden Mother nature tugged at my heart strings and we decided to try for a baby...took 6 months again was shocked, happy then I had a bleed, every week for scans, amnio - very stressful and misscarriage came flooding back - all of a sudden things clicked into place and we both yerned for this baby.

Anyway sorry to waffle all turned out well in end and had a healthy ds. I struggled for 1st weeks and all I kept thinking was what have I done with my perfect life, I did struggle to come to terms but I think it was just baby blues etc..

Right back to where we are today - I would LOVE another baby....then some days I think no life is great, DS is at a lovely age, we go for nice meals, had our 1st hol abroad last year, I now work 2 days a week so can treat us to hols away and a break this Easter. So we grateful for what I have. However I do still have a yearning to have another. Our DS has one to one attention from us and quite often it makes me feel guilty for him not having a playmate at home. Then I think we are both healthy, people have babies in their 40's and cope but again I think I have no family or help around to help me which is hard sometimes. My job is fab - work what days I want and hubby who works shifts has our ds so no child care problems. If we had another who would have new baby if I go back to work, as ds would be at school.

Then again 2 of my friends similar age have just gone for it and are having baby no 2 and 3. But they have family and help around them etc...

So in a nutshell Im definately not ready to say no and will not let hubby go for a vasectomy yet but I know it will come soon. Also our friend have an 18month old and my hubby adores him a few months ago he said lets try but it was me that put my sensible head on and said no...so I think I answered my own question. It makes me feel very sad knowing I most probably wont have another though

I took DH to Paris when he was 50 last year. We booked for dinner up the Eifel Tower on the friday night. DD (then nearly 4) loved it, and there is a roundabout at the bottom.

We did a boat trip on the Saturday and then got a babysitter and went out for slap up Michelin starred dinner followed by drinks on the Left Bank. Sunday was spent in the Jardins du Luxembourg. It really was fab.

PS We did 3 days in New York with dd when she was 4. That was excellent too. Central Park, the Zoo, Circle Line ferry, pasta in Little Italy etc etc. it can be done!

I took DH to NY for his 50th. Left DS (then 3) with my aged mother for a few days. Best of both worlds.

If your DS is 5 he can go most places. New York is brilliant, and some child friendly stuff. Barcelona (I know, everyone has said this already).

Last year, for no apparent reason apart from it was a bit near to my bday we went to Berlin for 3 nights. It was amazing, but we did leave DS with grandma again, we wouldn't have appreciated it as much with him, and he got unmitigated tv watching quality time with grandma.

We've taken dd (then 2.5) to NY - more child friendly than you might think. There's an indoor childrens' museum too (in the US these are activity-based play centres). And mega toy stores.

We're about to go to southern Spain and hopefully alternate beach trips and city sight-seeing (I'm selling the Alhambra to dd as a big castle...). Can be done relatively cheaply.

Oh and dd is now going on 4, I'm about to be 47 and dh is going on 49 - so very similar ages.

Not sure about Dubai. Good for the beach hotels and desert trips but the latter could be challenging with a very young child and apart from the beach Dubai itself is rather charmless. All the arab countries are very family-friendly though.

Or what about a luxury UK break in a Scottish castle or similar?

thanks for your advice - so NY be would ok in your opinions? I dont have an alternative about ds age 4 - no one to have him....I struggle to commit my sister to babysit once or twice year - but hey thats another story!!!

Barcelona we have done so I want something different - we are quite samey and always tend to play safe so want to branch out, get it booked and surprise him. Im going to look into NY or someone has mentioned Barbados

Questions for NY as I "know nothing"

1. Where do we stay
2. How long should we go
3. Any jetlag/time adjustments?
4. What places to visit

... again bare in mind we will have ds in tow! thanks

Frommers do a NY with Kids book and have family friendly hotel recommendations on their website. We stayed at the Waldorf Astoria which was fab (but pricey).

We were only there 3 days and I don't think that was long enough.

Not sure how much/how long you want to spend but how about Thailand? Great for kids and could you get dh's brother to come from Australia as a surprise???

Try Koh Lanta or Phuket...fly direct there from UK.

Meant to say that by the time you have paid for expensive hotels/flights in NY, you may spend the same in Thailand as food and sightseeing is pretty cheap there.

NY seems brilliant - I'd love to go. Have a great time where ever the holiday takes you

My dad's friend had a surpise 50th trip with all his friends to Dublin. He knew he was going with his wife but she'd invited all their friends too (friends paid their own way). Even bargain airline managed to get all the friends to board first and held birthday boy + wife up so he wouldn't see everyone.

Wasn't a big distance and wasn't massively expensive but he was delighted to have all his friends there. Bit different than a standard party and everyone had a grand time.

Admittedly no kids but I guess a few friends/family along for the ride would mean handy babysitters for a dinner for two!!