Do you ever 'leave ' your kids ?

[Angeliz]

Hi all,
well, not going into too much detail i've had a really bad past year. I think this has resulted in me living life 'to the full' a bit more.
I lost my Dad last year and after the initial shock, i took my Mam away for 2 days.
I have since took her away again. We go to see shows, last one was in London but i was there and back in 2 days. I must admit i LOVE getting away and come back refreshed.
I've never left my kids (3,5 +9) before this and they have a fantastic Dad who loves spending that time with them.
I'm talikng about every few months btw, i don't leave them on a regular basis and when i'm here i give them most of my time and i never go out at all.
Adfter a recent comment however, i',m feeling very paranoid thinking, 'should i never leave them at all?'

Opinions wanted but be gentle!

sounds great. Fun for you and your Mum. Fun for your kids to hang out with their Dad. win-win, from the sounds of it.

Dh has inthe past taken ds away to his mum's, I've left him with my parents while dh and I went away and I left him with dh while I went on a jolly with some friends. When dd can be surgically removed from my breasts I've no doubt she will also get left. Of course there is nothing wrong with it, just as there is nothing wrong with not wanting to.

Thanks ladies.
Stll having a shaky day but nice to see we all anjoy it at times.
Riven, have fun

You're not leaving them in the house alone with a can of beans, a gas burner and a box of matches. You are going away overnight while they are looked after by their father, who is just as much their parent as you are and has just as much responsibility for them.

Why on earth would there be anything wrong with that?

DH has taken DS to the in-laws in Malaysia a couple of times without me. I had a great time on my own for 10 days and DS had a great time seeing his cousins. I think DD is probably still a little too young for DH to be able to cope with a long haul flight with the two of them, but in a few years I will happily wave them off again and have a bit of peace and quiet.

Sounds great. A well deserved break for you and your mum. Nothing wrong with it at all. Bet the kids have great fun with their dad, too.

That's what i thought tbh...

"I am curre ntly camping with number 3 having left 1 2 and 4 elsewhere" - that sounds a bit like you left them at a motorway ervice station Riven!

I suppose my paranoia comes from the fact that i never left them before this.
I just wouldn't have but now, have to admit, love a bit of time away too!!

SO refreshing to see i'm not the only one!

I think it's lovely, for you, your mum, your kids and their dad. Complete win win.

I always have a little internal smile when my friends say things like this - I have NEVER EVER NOT BLEEDING EVER heard a man say that he worries about leaving his children overnight with their mum while he goes on a night out/stag do/golfing weekend (delete as appropriate)

Lovely lovely 2 day trips ski-ing this year, DD was 8m. I pumped milk at lunchtime. Really really enjoyed a little break, got all excited at having breakfast in the train buffet car...... DH and DD had a whale of a time together.

She was good as gold though, which made him think the whole thing is a doddle. Pah

Sounds entirely healthy to me (although my 'leaving' (about the same frequency) is more often than not work-related)

I left my dd from monday to friday for almost three months when she was very little. I was single and it was a training course as part of my contract.

She regularly goes to my parents for a week or so at a time. This summer she will be away for just over three weeks.
She is nearly 10.
No ill effects, we are still and always have been very close.

I've had 3 one weeks away from my 7 year old, so many weekends I couldn't count (maybe 20-30?).

My 2yo, I've only been away from for 2x 1 week and 3ish short weekends.

I always thought it was good for them to get time with grandparents/one parent alone.

No problem!

I'm getting a week away on my own to visit friends abroad this summer, leaving 3 dcs with dh. They will be tired, dirty and fed on crap when I come back but I'm doing it anyway. They will have fun though. Never particularly wanted to go away when they were younger whereas dh seems to have had no problem escaping on jollies. I do think there comes a natural time when you move on from the babies and toddlers stage and feel like they are not quite so much part of yourself iyswim.

I'm really excited about my week - would like to make it a twice-yearly event if dh didn't have so much trouble getting away from work....

Have fun and enjoy yourself.

I've left mine for short periods from babyhood onwards. And never had a moment's qualms. They were with their doting grandparents.

I never felt there was any difference between my leaving them with dh and him leaving them with me- we are both equally parents.