HOw many of you leave your kids home?

[BlueJacketsFan1]

I'm sorry but I just think it is wrong to go on vacation and leave your kids with someone else. The kid words being, YOUR KIDS. If you need or just want to go on vacation. Why don't you think your kids wouldn't like a vacation too. My parents always took us on family vacations. I took my kids on family vacations. Now that they are grown and out of the house, now my wife and I are able to go on our cruise vacations. Sorry it just my opinion.

[cjkbleonard]

We go every year for our anniversary without the kids. We feel that spending some alone time each year is important to having a strong marriage. This year we even went to Disney World before our cruise without the kids. While we are on our trip my in-laws out of state keep the kids and they look so forward to this each summer because they don't get to see them much throughout the year. They do all kinds of things like camping, trips, missionary trips, and such. We also take a big family vacation during the year with the kids and this year we will be going to Disney World during Christmas for almost 2 weeks. I don't feel guilty at all for going on a cruise without the kids although I do miss them sometimes but I know they are in very good hands and are also having a great time.

[1frayfan]

We do leave notarized letters for the grandparents, along with their insurance cards, and a WAY TOO DETAILED list of information they might need.

 

If you need a copy of my notarized form, feel free to email me at bankerbabe_lisa at yahoo dot com. I'd be happy to share, just put something like Notarized Form in the subject line so that I don't think you are a spammer.

 

On the other hand, you can also search for "Child Care Delegation Form" and I'm sure you will find something that will work. I think that's how I got my form.

 

Thanks bankerbabe.....just sent you an email!

[aeomom]

While we are on this subject....do those of you that leave your kids with family/friends have some kind of form notorized saying that they are their guardians for the time you are away?

 

Thank you for asking this question! I've been wondering this myself.

 

DH and I are leaving our 3 kids (13,9,9) with my Mom in Oct. We're celebrating 20 years of wedded bliss, every single one of which we have not taken a vacation without our kids and have rarely even had the opportunity to eat a meal without them! There are moments when I have pangs of guilt (like whilst reading this whole thread!) but I know we deserve this time to ourselves and our kids are really excited to have Gramma come take over for the week.

 

We do leave notarized letters for the grandparents, along with their insurance cards, and a WAY TOO DETAILED list of information they might need.

 

If you need a copy of my notarized form, feel free to email me at bankerbabe_lisa at yahoo dot com. I'd be happy to share, just put something like Notarized Form in the subject line so that I don't think you are a spammer.

 

Lisa, would you mind another email? :D

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

Our daughter is 16 and always travels with us and always has. For our couple time we do weekends somewhere fairly nearby. She has now been to over a dozen countries on several continents. My philosophy is that we both (DH and I) work all year long so our vacations are meant for family. She will only live with us 18-19 years and will be off to University and then starting a life of her own. Then we will have all the time in the world to be alone. I always figure I will never look back and regret spending the time with her, but may look back and regret not spending the time with her. I have to say though, I like the concept alot of the posters have said about one year travelling with the kids, the next without. Also, she is our only child so that may make a difference too.

[leeleecc]

We've done both. The first cruise, in 2002, was a family cruise. We all had a blast and the kids still talk about snorkeling in St. Thomas.

 

My husband and I took our first "no kids" cruise (or any type of vacation) in April 2008 and we had a blast. I felt so guily, at first, about leaving the kids, but I got over it shortly after the cruise started. They were so excited to see us when we got home and to see what we brought them. We ended up going on another in December of 2008 and we're booked on another cruise in January.

 

I'm a stay at home mom, so everything, for me, has always been about and for the kids. I guess I have realized that sometimes you have to do things for yourself and husband.

 

Are the kids a little grumpy when they find out we're going on a cruise without them??? Sure they are, but they get over it. You have to learn sometime that you don't always get what you want. :rolleyes:

[MamaParrotHead]

I agree, that's my other reason behind bringing my kids with us on the big vacations. My daughter is 10 1/2. If we can afford to cruise every year and a half to two years, that means we only have 3-4 cruises left with her before she's out of the house and most likely our schedules won't align anymore.

[mytee4ever]

An anniversary of your marriage is a celebration of your being a couple. Yes, it can also be the start of you as a family as well, but you were a couple first. A happy couple as the foundation makes a happy family. Enjoy a little couple time.

 

DH & I have been on 8 cruises. The kids have been on 1. Given the opportunity to take them on another cruise, we would do so in a heartbeat. However, we also appreciate the chance to be a couple as well.

 

Whatever you decide, enjoy it! And Happy Anniversary!!

 

Towanda

[dogbert's mom]

I leave mine at home because they are 23yrs old and 25yrs old but still lives at home even though one of them is married.

[cruisewokids]

My kids are 4 and 2 and I took a cruise in 2009 and 2010 without them. I missed them and was ready to get home to them, but it is good for the sanity to have an adult vacation. They go on other vacations with us and next month, they are going on their first cruise (they can't wait to meet Funship Freddy). Mix things up and have fun and don't feel guilty they will be fine.

[tmackel]

It's OK to leave the children home with the grand parents. My two girls our 22 and 18 and have been on three cruises. We always took family vacations that we thought the girls would enjoy like Disneyland. Once the girls were old enough we took them on there first cruise, but we always get seperate room ;). We have married 26 years and I really believe cruising once a year by ourself has had a lot to do with. Happy parents make great Moms and Dads :).

[SANDYJABS]

Yes we cruise without our children. It is great to have the alone time together to be a couple. We also take a vacation with our children as well. I felt guilty the first time but realized that it was good for everyone. Now it's no big deal when we tell the kids that Mom and Dad are taking a cruise :D

[whulfc86]

We're about to leave on our cruise and our 6 month old daughter will be staying with my husbands parents. We booked the cruise a long time ago before we knew I was pregnant and she is too young to go on the cruise. I'm a stay at home mum so its going to be very hard to be away from her!

[LHP]

That's what I love about cruising....

 

we can enjoy our family cruises and still have "alone time" .... the best of both worlds.

 

:)

[tvlevi]

We had not taken a vacation without kids in 18 years and the schedule just lined up that both kids would be away (camp & college) for us to take the Glory in July. 18 years is too long to go without a vacation w/o kids. The kids were fine with it and we had a blast. We do have lots of date nights but it is not the same. We have cruised twice with our kids. You just have to be able to do it without guilt.

[Roxy30]

Thanks everyone for the responses!

 

We have done vacations without the kids but no more than 3 days long. This will be our first 8 day vacation leaving them home. THough, I must add, my children have done 10 day vacations with my parents and left me home:D . I was just feeling a little guilty that I was going to do something that they might enjoy with us.

 

We want to do the cruise out of San Juan with a different port every day. The kids helped me decide to leave them home. When I told them this cruise had no sea days so really not much time in Camp Carnival, they decided they would rather stay with the grandparents. The grandparents have decided that they are taking the kids to Atlantis in Nassau for the week, so apparently everyone is happy.

[laumicmah]

We took kids on Disney cruise with grandparents in 2007 (they were 8,8 and 10). DH and I did adult only CCL cruise this past March and we just got off CCL cruise that we took the kids on(and my DS's friend). We don't wish to take kids on a cruise again, but we are all booked on a NCL cruise for April...we are rethinking it. While the kids were behaved, they did whine and complain and it was difficult to please all of them. DS and friend were bored, DDs spent 2.5 hours total in camp(first sea day and then refused to go back), all they wanted to do was pool/slide (even after 5 hours at HMC and 6.5 at Atlantis). Like another poster said: I'd rather spend less to take them to a Holiday Inn to swim for a week. So, we are going back to the beach trip we used to take when they were little. The first few years were beach trips and then we did Disney for a few years and recently switched to cruising, but I think we should do a short adult cruise when the kids are in school (Jan-April) and then do a week at the beach in August (girls do select softball and only have off for a bit in August). I have no qualms about that. No guilt.

[bull scat]

Kid's should not be seen or heard on a cruise ship.

[KKJGE]

We have three daughters, and we take them every other cruise. They are 12, 9 and three. The next is Hawaii for our wedding anniversary and they are staying HOME!! :p