Why I Vacation Without My Kids

It's no secret around here that my kids do not always accompany me on vacation and today I want to share a little more about that.

Let me preface all of this with saying that I don't ALWAYS vacation without my kids. I mean look at those sweet faces! We love spending time together as a family and going places that everyone will enjoy. There are times and reasons however, that I feel the need to head out the door and leave those sweet faces behind. I will also that I realize the following reasons apply to my family and obviously aren't hard and fast reasons for EVERY family.

1.Working Trips I think for us this is a big one. In fact I leave in just a week on such a trip.  Sometimes I need to getaway...whether it be on a Disney Cruise or to Walt Disney World, to do research. I need to cram a lot of things in a few days and do things that benefit my clients when I come back home. For these trips it's best the little's stay at home.

2. Non-Kid Friendly Destinations Our favorite vacation, hands down, was our trip to Alaska. We went before we had Finley and while Kennedy was still fairly young. While Disney Cruises in general are obviously extremely family friendly, we didn't feel that this destination was a great one for toddlers. We can't wait to take them back when they are older because we had such an amazing time, but sometimes the location you are heading to is best suited for just the adults.

Hubs and I in front of the Mendenhall Glacier

3. Quality Time This is kind of two fold. For me, I'm not JUST a mom.  For that reason, it's important that my husband and I have time to ourselves, to reconnect and spend some quality time just the two us.  Life gets hectic and sometimes passing each other at dinner just isn't enough. I love the quality time my husband and I have spent on some of our adult only vacations.

The second part of this is I love the fact that my kids get one-on-one time with their grandparents (on both sides).  Especially now that we have moved about 7  hours away, this gives them a chance to spend some quality time (read spoiled) with their grandparents. It's a win win for everyone!
4.Relaxation While everyone does this in a different way, I think taking some time away from the hustle and the bustle to recharge your batteries is beneficial to EVERYONE.  Vacations have proven to lower stress, which can make you a generally happier and healthier person.  I work from home with 2 toddlers so life can get pretty crazy. Sometimes it's nice to step away from everything..laundry, cleaning, working...even if just for a few days. It's nice to let my body recoup and relax for a few days (and my brain too!!)!

Heated Stone Loungers aboard the Disney Dream

5. Signature Dining I love my kids...but sometime dining with chicken nuggets and mac & cheese (being thrown on the floor) can get a bit tiresome. Whether it be at  Walt Disney World or a Disney Cruise, I love having that time to enjoy a nice, QUIET meal.  One of my kids does great while traveling and out to restaurants...and one has a lot to learn from her big sister ;)  We don't go out much at home that doesn't involve a quick meal so going out to a nice sit down meal, or even an adult only  meal like Palo aboard the Disney Cruise Line, is a nice splurge for us.
All in all we love  both types of vacations.  We like to plan one a year with the kids and then one a year either as a work trip, or just adults (or a combination)!   Next year we are taking the kids to Walt Disney World and a Cruise while later in the year we do an adults only trip to Disneyland (as our little one isn't a great flier/rider). I know a lot of Mom's feel guilty about such trips but I think it's really great for both me and my kids! I get some downtime and often a chance to learn and grow, while they get quality time with their grandparents.