There is a time for family vacations and a time to drop the kids off with their grandparents (or other responsible adults) and speed off into the sunset with your significant other. You may be thinking, I don’t have time or money for that. I’m also concerned about how my kids will survive for one night, let alone an entire week. After getting away a few months ago with my husband, however, I can tell you it is so worth it. Although there are a multitude of reasons to do it, I’ve come up with five that will encourage you to begin planning a trip of your own.
1. Stress Free Traveling: Any veteran parent can tell you that stress takes on an entirely new meaning when traveling with kids, especially when they are younger. Lost sippy cups, fully stocked diaper bags, feeding times, nap schedules, battling boredom and bedtime struggles can be frustrating and tedious, but even more so when away from home. When you’re traveling sans kids however, things are a little less strenuous. All I had to worry about during our trip was confirming times for flights, transportation to the hotel and what adventures we wanted to take while there. We ate whenever we wanted, slept when we were tired, laid around and did absolutely nothing some days. It was glorious.
2. Meals: Speaking of eating whenever we wanted, eating whatever we wanted was a luxury we also indulged in. My oldest son is a very picky eater. There wasn’t anything on the menus at any of the restaurants we visited that he would have eaten. We got to try new food. There were no pleas to “take a bite. Just one bite. You have to at least try it!” There was no getting up to retrieve fallen cups, discarded straws, clean up spilled water or milk and no having to entertain anyone while we waited to get our food. Instead, there was candlelight, conversation and time to sit and thoroughly enjoy the atmosphere.
3. Enriching Experiences: We chose Cancun for our first kid-free vacation. Neither of us had ever been to Mexico, so it was nice to experience that together. On our third day there, we traveled through Yucatan to the Chichen Itza. It is the seventh wonder of the world and rich in history. We learned so many interesting facts as we walked around the grounds. After the tour, we feasted on local Mayan and Yucatan pork tacos with spicy sides and we talked with our tour group about what we learned and liked best. It was nice to have uninterrupted conversations with other adults.
4. Couple Connection: In most parenting articles, “experts” continuously stress the importance of couples’ making their relationship a priority over the kids. In daily life, that can be extremely difficult. Sometimes it’s hard to even have a conversation without having to talk over the sound of the boys’ requests for food, drink or attention. Date nights are nice, but sometimes sporadic, and a few hours here and there are not always enough. Having time away helped us refocus on our relationship. In fact, when I polled local moms, the overwhelming majority stated that reconnecting with their spouses over a long weekend or a weeklong vacation has become an integral part of their marriage.
Mom of two, Breanna Holthaus says, “I usually get one kid-free vacation a year, and they are so worth it. It’s nice to get away, clear my head and come back a healthier, happier and more patient person.”
5. It’s Good for the Kids: This was our first trip away from the kids. I was worried about potential meltdowns, homesickness, illness and accidents. A week away from our boys seemed like a lifetime. We called every day to check in with them, however, and in the process learned a valuable lesson. The kids were fine! Sure, they missed Mom and Dad a little, but they were busy having fun too. It helped that they stayed with their grandparents, who were very good at keeping them occupied with walks, games and little trips around town. It was extremely comforting to know that the world did not stop spinning simply because we weren’t there.
I know it’s not always financially, professionally or even medically possible to take long periods of time off to fly out of state or visit other nations. A staycation is an affordable alternative. A few nights at a local bed and breakfast can work wonders for your well-being, as well as your relationship. You won’t regret it.
Jennifer Bosse lives in Kansas City with her husband and two children. She is already planning her next kid-free vacation.