She explains that she will be 38 weeks pregnant on her birthday, “so that rules out anything exciting happening (unless I give birth! That’d be lovely). So my husband has suggested we go for a week away next year to Universal Florida as we both love it there (we are big kids)…plus would be nice to actually spend some time as a couple.”
She goes on to say that “the mum guilt has started to creep in and I’ve started to feel really bad about leaving them. My MIL has a good bond with my DS and DD isn’t born yet but I’m sure they’ll be okay - she’s happy to look after them and they will be staying at our house with her and I’ll know they’ll be safe and have a good week but is it really selfish? I just wanted to see what others thought before booking the holiday.”
A study from 2016 of 9,969 couples conducted by charity Marriage Foundation and the University of Lincoln compared how often the couple went out together when their child was nine months old with whether they were still together as a couple when their child was 11 years old. The study found that married couples who regularly spent quality time together alone were significantly less likely to split up.
Ruth E. Freeman, founder and president at Peace at Home Parenting Solutions, told Newsweek: “Parents definitely need down time and fun time. Kids, especially young ones, look to their parents to know if the world is a safe, happy place and parents’ happiness matters. It’s a concern when parents feel they can never leave their kids’ sides and think they must be the only ones 24/7.”
Freeman points out that at 10 months old, children are only just beginning to understand that when parents leave, they also come back, “and another concern is whether grandmother sees the children daily or at least a few times a week and is connected as a primary caregiver. I love mom and dad’s wish to be away and to find joy because that’s an antidote to stress and does wonders for a marriage, but considering the young age of the children, how about a night or two away and not too far from home?”
User babysharksb1tch said: “I have a three year old and 11 month old. If someone offered to look after my kids so I could go away for a week you wouldn’t see me for dust.”
User Harridan1981 commented: “I wouldn’t, but I’m not you. My kids would have missed me horribly at 2, and vice versa. And 10 months old is very tiny. Why not a weekend away?”
User Thesearmsofmine wrote: “I wouldn’t do it but I’m not you. My worry would be that you have no idea what kind of baby the 10 month old will be, some are happy and chilled, others are very clingy.”
Newsweek wasn’t able to verify the details of the case.
