Real Mom Talk: First Trip Away from Kids

Yes, I’m that mom that never wants to leave her kids. From the moment my daughter was born I never wanted to leave her. I genuinely wanted to spend all my time with her. I’m super critical of anyone that watches her and never wanted to leave her with anyone to get out of the house, let alone go on a vacation.

In fact, in the first three years of her life, there were only two times I can think of that I spent one night away from her. Once to stay with a friend who was going through a tough time. And once when I had to stay in the hospital after my son was born. Even then I couldn’t wait to get home to her.

I never thought to go on a trip without the kids.

Whenever I went somewhere I loved taking them. I love experiencing new things and creating new memories with them. But after 3 and a half years of never being without my kids, I needed a little trip away. When one of my best friends asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding back in my old home state of California–I began planning a kid-free week-long girls’ trip getaway.

Even though I knew it was coming and I was excited, I was so anxious to leave my babies for a whole week. They stayed with family but I didn’t know how they would react to me not being. As a stay-at-home mom, I’m with them 24/7 so I knew it would be a big change for all of us.

It was so hard saying goodbye to them. My daughter kept asking to go with me. I cried when I had to say goodbye at the airport. But I knew it would be good for me to get some time away to recharge and see my girlfriends. And I knew it would be good for my kids to get some quality time with dad and grandma and to spread their wings.

As hard as it was to leave them, it was surprisingly easier than I thought it would be once I was gone. I stayed busy with the wedding and catching up with my besties. While I still missed them like crazy it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be to be away from them. The trip definitely did what I hoped it would for me. It was the break I needed to come back refreshed. I was so excited to get back to see them again.

While I don’t see myself traveling kid-free often (I still love our family trips), I do see the value in getting away every now and then. We all need a break and a vacation sometimes. There is nothing wrong with that.

I had so much mom guilt over having a kid-free trip that it took me 3 years to take one.

If you are struggling with the thought of leaving your littles for a weekend trip or even one night, I feel you. I was that girl. I am still that girl. We recently took a weekend trip for our anniversary and it was still hard for me to leave my kids. But it wasn’t as hard as the first time.

If you feel mom guilt over wanting to have a kid-free trip, don’t. You need to take care of yourself too. If you need a little girl’s or couple’s getaway that is nothing to be ashamed about. We all need a break every now and then. Self-care is not selfish! Take time for yourself.

If you feel mom guilt over a kid-free trip you have already taken, don’t. Remind yourself of why you did it in the first place. It’s good for not only you but also your kids. Letting them branch out and get out of their norm is beneficial to their growth.

I know it’s hard and nerve-wracking leaving your littles for the first time.

But trust me, once you do it the first time it will be easier going forward. It will most likely not be as bad as you think in your head. It may just surprise you at how well you and your kids do with it. If you are worried about your kids forgetting you or replacing you–that is not possible. You are still mom. They love you.

My kids loved having time with grandma. And I loved having girl time. So it was a win/win for all. We were able to video chat and still stay in touch while apart. Being away won’t last forever and you can pick right back up where you were when you get back. Kids are resilient. Not all change is bad. Give yourself and your kids some credit.

You CAN take a trip kid-free and still love your kids more than anything else!