We know. We know that you love your children above all things, but sometimes love is not enough and other types of things are needed to recharge the batteries and enjoy a healthy mind. We are not saying that you go without your children for a week to another country and forget about them, nothing is further from the truth.
A vacation without children can be going out one morning to the beach with your partner or going out to dinner with friends. Maybe you fantasize about a vacation when you are exhausted like when you have gotten up 5 times during the night and your child is at dawn or when you have so many things to do at home after a long day at work. It is normal for you to think about a time without children, do not feel bad about that.
However, the reality of the situation is that for most parents, the idea of a child-free vacation remains a fantasy. There are so many excuses for not doing it: the money, the effort involved in raising your children, their care, the worry about what could go wrong… the list in parents' heads goes on and on. You need to change that mindset as parents because the reasons for actually taking that child-free vacation are compelling ... Don't miss out on some reasons why it's good to have a child-free vacation.
Why a vacation without children is a good idea
Children need their own space, just like you
Give children the opportunity to do things for themselves or do things differently when in the care of other adults it allows them to grow in a way that they cannot when everything is routine and predictable.
You can reconnect with your partner in a different way
No matter how good you are at prioritizing your relationship with your partner, chances are that most of the time you still put the kids first. Going out from time to time with your partner will make you feel more connected. A little time for the children will help you to further formalize your identity as a couple ... you will have a better reomance, intimacy and you will be happier in general.
Your children will have the opportunity to spend time with other people
And those other people may be special to them, like grandparents or uncles. It is not easy to leave your children with someone else, but if there is a trusted grandparent or aunt or uncle or friend available for babysitting, your children will have the opportunity to get to know them on a whole new level. They will have the opportunity to create new memories and strengthen their relationship in a way that would not happen otherwise.
You deserve it
Going on vacation with your children is not a real vacation for you… It may be a vacation from your work, but there is no escape in parenting. You spend more hours taking care of parenting chores and decisions than anything else in your life. Those hours do not even account for the emotional labor of the parents. Being able to rest and put your feet up is necessary for your mental health. It's self care at its best.