Who here vacations without their kids?

We went a week to Morrocco with my ex 2 years ago. Our son was 2 y.o. at the time and my parents came over to baby sit. Everything went well. Of course, that didn't save our couple but that's another story...

 

I think this is key, we went on a trip where we were hiking in the mountains on some pretty aggressive trails. It's a lot easier to leave them with grandparents when it's something they wouldn't enjoy. I'm not going to Disney without my kid.

 

As long as they`re safe, absolutley!

They should not be your entire life, you have a wife and yourself to enjoy some occasionally.

Good for the kids, too. Everyone gets a break, and in my opinion at that age the kids shouldn`t be so dependent on your time as to be too bothered.

my 02.

 

Yep.

For me, it`s great now with my adult kids, we have a blast.

But when they were growing up, it was important to at least occcsionally get away and be an adult and have time for me and the woman.

Doesn`t hurt them in the least, in fact it helps, IMO.

Some people are too close to their kids, again, MO.

But yes, most of the time they were with, that`s great also.

 

I think that your first mistake was you and your wife taking your ex on a vacation. It probably would've been a better idea to just take the kid instead.

 

Same way I read it.

 

Yeah, you read it in proper English.

 

LOL. I should have started with an "I" instead of a "We", indeed.

 

Ya know it could be. I have to admit, if my wife wasn't a strong woman there are lots of things that would have happened the way I grew up.

1. I only remember a few vacations...visiting Grandma in Reno and then visiting my grandparents 3-4 times in Germany. My dad came one time only to Germany and also to visit his mom in Reno. We did tie in six flags one year with going to a race.
2. Never went out to eat until I was probably in my early teens and my parents decided we would go out once a week, usually fast food as a treat for all of us.
3. Parents never went out on a date night, only remember having a baby sitter sometimes on New Years eve.
4. Mom did all cooking, cleaning, shopping, clothes washing, etc. and dad went to work. Really we kids were spoiled because we only kept our rooms clean, mom didn't want or ask for help on anything else. I did help dad reside the aluminum siding on the house and replace the shingles in different years because of hail damage

• Got married and after having kids, my wife said we need to have date nights, and we found a baby sitter and went out many weekends without kids to a movie, or out to eat, comedy night, etc.
• Put the kids into some 1/2 day Montessori daycare so my wife could have a break. After spending time with little kids I can tell you it is needed for your own sanity.
• Usually went out to eat a few times a week and my wife cooked the other times.
• Took vacations almost every year, usually to nice places, Cabo, Cancun, Hawaii, Turks and Caicos, Europe, Africa, Disneyland and Disneyworld, dance trips and racing trips

Anyway, if my wife hadn't spoken up, I imagine we might have done it the same way my parents did, and she would have been more miserable and I wouldn't have even realized there was an issue......because how you grow up is what you think is normal, until you are exposed to more things.

Unfortunately for us, my family is all back in Illinois and her family lives 5 and 8 hours away, so we didn't get the built in baby sitter option.

 

Too many helicopter parents around here. My wife and I usually bolt for 1 week a year and the kids stay with Grandma and Grandpa (either hers or mine). The kids love it, Grandparents are cool with it. We travel a ton with the kids already. My kids have had their passports since they were 1. All of our family lives states away, so that is our only real break for the year. My wife and I are planning on Ireland in June. Then probably a family beach trip in the summer.

 

In my experience, regular one-on-one time with just you and your spouse is critical to the long term success of the relationship. Getting the kids used to seeing mom and dad “date each other” is an important step is teaching them healthy relationship habits.

As a rule, my wife and I take at least one “no kids” vacation every year. It’s our way of staying connected and reminding ourselves why we married each other in the first place. This is better accomplished without the distractions of parenting responsibilities. At least for a few days anyway.

 

You remarried? When did that happen?

 

How could she not love ya? I'd love ya, and don't even know ya.

But seriously, you are probably right about living a life similar to what you were exposed to with your own parents. Mine were somewhat poor, so a picnic on the river bank seemed like our vacation. You know, come to think of it, I can't remember when I was exposed to the word "vacation". But, growing up a hillbilly kid is like a vacation every day anyway.

Glad things worked out for ya Roberto.

 

Valid question...

 

OK, so I'm guessing I can cross you off the list of possible spouses.

 

Hang on, no need to be so hasty. Still possible.

 

Do you shower together?

 

All too clear now as to why you weren't invited.

 

Well so far!!!! You never really know, I hope it is forever, but it sure can be challenging at times.

I'm sure if I weren't married I would own more than the 6-8 motorcycles and scooters I currently have, and in reality all that stuff isn't needed. I think I had 10 motorycles and two sports cars when we met, so I was good at buying but not so good at selling stuff......still kind of have that problem.