To all the parents on the forum

MARKB said:
The first time we did it the In Laws came to stay at our house. Our Girls were 1 & 2.

The girls just got up and saw their grandparents and forgot about us as we slipped out the door.

We were a bit frantic in the taxi to the airport, but a few bloody Mary's on the plane and we were cracking on getting excited.

We came back missing them like crazy, but had no guilt at all for having had some great downtime.

I remember waking up one morning in the hotel room, couldn't decide what to have for breakfast so we just opened some bottles of corona from the mini bar and carried on where we'd left off the night before. You know, the sort of things you could never do with kids around.

Makes you wonder the state I'd be in if the kids weren't there to keep me on the stright and narrow. :lol:
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When we went to the festival a few months ago, we stayed in a b&b and I still woke up at the crack of dawn and I missed them like crazy, really struggled to stay in bed and make the most of a lie in! But after being convinced by pauly we had a full english and went back to bed :D then when we did get up it was straight to the pub for bl00dy marys before back to the festival!

Like you I do wonder what we would be doing if we didnt have kids, I think Id be an alcoholic! saying that im half way there now lol :lol:
 
deepseadiver said:
Missus and I have done it twice, 2010 and 2011. I have also done a fair few trips with a mate leaving them at home with Mrs C.

Firstly, you must not feel guilty, going to Ibiza is something you both enjoy and you need a break. My/Our excuse is that we devote a lot of time to our children and dont go out much without them during the year. A lot of "normal" families are like this these days.

In 2010 we went for 3 nights and 2011 for 4 nights. We rang them every day and all was good. They stay with the MIL, who generally keeps them in good order. We go when they are back at school in Sept to soften the blow. I always send them to the MIL's house as she is more likely to get something wrong if she stays at ours.

If you are thinking about going then trust your instinct and go, I would do 4 nights if I were you.

Our girls are now 13 and 10 years. Children are very resilient.

Hope this helps?
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Ive had them on my own quite a few times and so has my husband. I had to go away for a few days to get Savannah to stop breast feeding, she didnt want to stop!! :lol: The other month was the first time we had left them overnight with anyone and it went surprisingly well, even though my brother doesnt have kids and he ended up having to look after them by himself as his girlfriend had come down with flu the night before (or so she said!)

We couldnt go for 4 nights unfortunately as my brother wouldnt be able to get the time off work, well I dont think he would want to use his holidays for babysitting anyway!

We did look into going somewhere else instead cos theres loads of good deals on groupon. I wish Ibiza did some on there too!
 
deepseadiver said:
We have also been to Prague (twice), London and other stays in the UK. On the first Prague trip we came home to a 2 year old wearing a cast on her right arm:(. It still doesnt put us off though
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This is what would worry me if the MIL looked after them. Shes always offering but on the very few ocassions they have been with her she forgot to feed sasha (when he was 2 months old!) and wondered why he wouldnt stop crying! sasha turned the gas cooker on and we all had gone out for quite a few hours, came back to...well you can imagine! last time she was here savannah was playing with a pair of scissors and later on the toilet bleach! Also savannah was locked in the bedroom for about half an hour while we thought she was with MIL and so she pooed her pants! Thats just the tip of the iceberg! :confused: She does mean well but she hasnt a clue and just doesnt think about the consequences of things she does!

What happened to your 2 year old?
 
Liv said:
Last year we did it for 5 days. OMG it was tough for me. I couldn't really let go (having to be a responsible parent & all that!!!) but 3 days in & I was more relaxed & had such a special time with my hubby. This year we're doing it again - also for 5 days in Aug, & I can tell you that this time I'm gonna let my hair down, no problem! I'm soooo excited! And after seeing how good it was for us all as a family to have that time apart, & how as a couple, you reconnect, it's well worth it! Love it! Love them, miss them, but let yourself enjoy every special moment & trust that everything will be perfect! And it will be ;-D hope you have the time of your life! X PS: we drop our girl off - she stays with her auntie & uncle for 3 days & her nanny for 2 days. They live about 1hr20 from us so it's a bit mental trying to get her, ourselves packed, dropped off & to the airport in time. I think last year I got 3 hours sleep before the trip so I was already exhausted when we got to Ibiza. Well worth it though. My only regret was not relaxing sooner ;)
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I think thats exactly what I would be like! I know it would do everyone the world of good (especially us!) we are moving house in a week (again!) so a little holiday on our own would be something great to look forward to :)
 
stephen said:
that's exactly how i feel when i go off on my solo trips leaving the wifey to fend for herself. does us both the world of good.
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djjaycool said:
:lol::lol::lol::lol:
El Ste the missus was probably over joyed not to have you under foot.


Every parent deserves a break, go to Ibiza and enjoy yourself.
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I think most people (given half the chance) would prefer to live alone most of the time, its so much easier! I look back on the time I lived on my own in Manchester with such pleasure, it was bl00dy ace! :D

Ok, so where would be a good place to stay for a few nights then, somewhere nice, kid free and not ridiculously expensive? :D
 
sweet sensation said:
:D

Ok, so where would be a good place to stay for a few nights then, somewhere nice, kid free and not ridiculously expensive? :D
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I really like the Hotel Simbad in Talamanca. (Get a sea view room).

Smart /mid range / smallish hotel.

Stayed there thrice, great each time.

On a night we'd walk along to Marina Botofoch and get the water taxi to Ibiza Town.

Sa Punta for long boozy Lunches. Sleep it off on Talamanca beach in the afternoon.

Damn, I think I've just talked myself into booking a holiday...:lol:
 
I have done it with the mrs, it was easier then going with my mates and leaving mrs behind with baby. You wont feel guilty, you will miss them but just go and enjoy the break 8)
 
sorry for not replying sooner, house move and no internet! thanks mark, that hotel looks nice but we have since found out that the MIL is going to pay for this holiday for us (bonus!) :D :D :D 8) 8) 8) so we can afford somewhere a 'bit' more luxurious (not ridiculously so tho!) so any ideas welcome :D
 
Ibiza regular here going to Ibiza for 10yrs before deciding to start a family.

Our little one is now 2 and we have decided to treat ourselves to a few days away as a treat.

Took a while for us to decide as we felt very guilty about leaving the little one at home.

Mother in law who will be looking after her persuaded us to go, said we deserved a break and we werent doing anything wrong by going.

If you think about it, if you were to have a long weekend break in the UK, you probably wouldnt feel so guilty, just because its abroad it makes it seem worse for some reason.

We are really looking forward to it now, but will miss our daughter like crazy.... but will try not to focus on that as know she will be ok.
 
freeeky said:
Ibiza regular here going to Ibiza for 10yrs before deciding to start a family.

Our little one is now 2 and we have decided to treat ourselves to a few days away as a treat.

Took a while for us to decide as we felt very guilty about leaving the little one at home.

Mother in law who will be looking after her persuaded us to go, said we deserved a break and we werent doing anything wrong by going.

If you think about it, if you were to have a long weekend break in the UK, you probably wouldnt feel so guilty, just because its abroad it makes it seem worse for some reason.

We are really looking forward to it now, but will miss our daughter like crazy.... but will try not to focus on that as know she will be ok.
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It was my MIL who persuaded us to go too, aswell as pay for it! Originally we were looking at deals on groupon for somewhere else but as we havent been able to go to Ibiza as a family this year, I was having massive withdrawal symptoms and it will be nice to go back and remember what it was like before we had kids :lol:

I have finally managed to book the flights today, now just deciding on a hotel!

I am already feeling a little guilty about leaving my kids at home and Im nervous as to what they will be like without us, especially me. Im hoping I dont get to the airport, panic and am unable to go! :eek: :confused:

Youre right about it being abroad making it worse. Ive been thinking all sorts, like what if the plane crashes etc!!!!! If something happens and youre in the same country you can get back easier.....but we've booked it now so I guess it will be a learning curve. We are splitting the babysitting betweeen my dad and brother and my mil. They will go to my dads in south wales for a few days then my brother will bring them back home for the last night and my mil will have them at our house until we come back the next day.

When do you go?
 
we fly on this Monday coming... then back early hours of Sat morning.

The thing about getting back easily when in the UK is true, but if it was urgent to get back, you could get back within 24hrs easily if needed.

The world these days is a much smaller place.

Perhaps I am a bit more comfortable as the MIL is used to looking after our daughter whilst my missus works part time.

Only thing different here is that the MIL will be putting her to bed which will be different for her.

We intend to let MIL do it on a few occasions before we go so she is used to it.

MIL and daughter are staying at our home in the evenings so little one is as used to the environment as poss so she gets to sleep ok.
 
Maybe we are really bad parents, but have never had the guilty feelings about leaving our children with the MIL! They get spoiled rotten for a few nights and love spending time with the grandparents, what is there to feel guilty about?

Funnily enough, the in-laws more or less insisted they have our two for four night starting today. On this occasion we didn't want them to be away so long but the in-laws had planned all kinds of activities for them, tomorrow for eg taking the two man canoe up to the lakes, day after; water park! It's going to be a quiet few days around here :(

Enjoy your holiday, let your family enjoy some time with the children, chances are they will become hooked and want to take them more often:D
 
I guess the difference with me is that I dont have a mum, she died in my arms when I was 14 :cry: :cry: :cry: if my mum was alive everything would be different. She loved kids (im from a massive extended family in wales and everyone helped everyone out!) and I know she would have looked after them all the time. My dad is 73 and not in 100% health so he cant do much really and my brother doesnt have kids and still lives with my dad, so even though he is 34 he doesnt act it lol! :lol: He looked after them overnight for us for the first time in May this year and surprisingly managed very well and they loved having him look after them.

I trust my brother to look after them cos he knows how I like them to be parented and he has spent a lot of time with them over the past few years. My MIL as lovely as she is and I know she means well, she isnt maternal at all. She doesnt think about basic things like leaving sharp things in easy reach, leaving the bathroom when they are in the bath etc etc! I could list so many things that shes done lol! :eek: :rolleyes: :lol: she has only ever looked after them both when they have been asleep. I know Sasha will be fine cos he will be 4 then, its just Savannah Im a bit worried about! But I guess we need to give it a go (obviously we will let her babysit before we go to Ibiza!) and see what happens!
 
I can see why you would have more than a few reservations from what you describe! My parents have been long departed so we rely entirely on wifeys parents, my MIL sounds like the polar opposite to your situation. She dotes on all her grandchildren and we would trust her in every H&S way possible, only downside is the amount of junk they eat whilst with nanna!!

In a couple of years you will be in a much better position where the older one will look out for the younger one. I guess that is where we are at and it works like a charm.

Hopefully you will have crossed off a few of your concerns by the time of your holiday and will be able to enjoy the break :)
 
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