Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge left their 8-month-old baby in the care of his grandparents while they vacationed, and they were vilified. These moms share why vacation without the kids is okay and essential for their families.
Too often, moms are quick to judge other moms for the choices they make. You are not immune, however, even if you’re the mother of the future king of England, as Kate Middleton found out after she and her husband, Prince William, went on a George-free vacation. Ironically, when they went on another trip and took their tot along, they got grief for that as well. Why do moms spend so much time dissing on what other families feel comfortable doing? And does vacationing without your children make you a bad parent?
Nurture your relationship
Some moms look forward to vacationing with their offspring, and other moms prefer to vacation without — and still others do a little of both. However, moms who insist that vacationing with just their partners in tow is the cat’s meow are not in the wrong, no matter what people think about Kate Middleton and her mothering skills. And many feel that, while easily forgotten, the relationship between partners needs attention.
“Something many people forget is that once your children are grown and you become an empty nester, who is left at your side?” asks Tiffany, mother of two. “Your spouse. One must nurture their relationship if they want it to last the test of time.”
Ultimate “mom time”
Everyone has an idea of what they are personally comfortable with, and just because you wouldn’t do something, doesn’t mean that it’s wrong if others do. And for some moms, the getaway is just what the doctor ordered. “I’m sorry, but reading about people judging Kate for leaving her baby makes me rage,” shares Liz, mom of three. “Yes, I also left my baby with her grandparents when she was around the same age as George (for a short vacation), and while I did worry about her while we were away, it was probably the most refreshed I’d been since her birth. Moms who judge? Get over yourselves. Your life is not my life.”
Cathy, expecting her third baby, totally agrees, although she raged a little less. “I am totally for vacationing without my kids,” she says. “I absolutely adore my children and, of course, miss them terribly when I am away from them. With that being said, getting away for a few days sans kids helps you reconnect, gives you that alone time that you crave, and brings you back to each other. I think it’s absolutely essential to find some kind of alone time with your spouse. Time away, period. Just find somewhere or someone you totally trust with your children, step away, and breathe for a few days. It does the soul wonders.”
Make the best decisions for your family
Above all, it’s important to do what you feel is best for your family. The moms we spoke with feel that if a child is well taken care of, then why would anyone make a big deal out of someone else taking a kid-free vacation? Lisa, mom of three, summed it up well: “I feel that celeb couples such as Will and Kate need it even more, because their life already pulled them apart even before kids. People just need to mind their own business. This doesn’t make them any less of parents.”
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