Wednesday, July 18, 2012

vacations and your family

Growing up, we never took vacations. My dad traveled a lot for work, so when he was home and off, we would often do day trips to different places, or a weekend to Toronto etc.

The only time we actually went away, was when I was 10 and we had a family reunion in Halifax - but my mom didn't come because the store she worked at was closing and she had to stay and help close up. I have fond memories of that trip.

After my father died, my mom did take us to Florida for march break that year, and we had a lot of fun.

I also don't remember my parents going away - never on a vacation. The odd time they would head to Montreal or Toronto for a wedding, but that was it.  I remember asking my mom once why they never went away, and she said that she didn't want to leave us.  If they were to go away, it would have been a family vacation.

That always stuck with me, and as a mom - I feel the EXACT same way. My kids are young - if we are going to go anywhere, I want them to come with us.  We went to Disney last year, and had a blast - will likely do it again in a year or two.

So what about you - do you and your partner get away every year or do you bring the kids? or do you not take vacations at all? what about growing up?

20 comments:

  1. I'm with you - my hubby and I go out on date nights once every few months, but other than that, holidays etc. we do with the kids.

    I can't wait to hopefully go to Disney in the next year or two! WITH the kids.

    A holiday wouldn't feel right without my two little guys!!!

    Growing up, we didn't go away on holidays too often, with a SAHM and a teacher for a Dad, summers were spent at the cottage and later in our backyard pool!

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    1. thanks for stopping by! Disney is amazing (I am a bit of a disney fanatic - we honeymooned there too!) and when I was writing this, realized I never did a trip review from our vacation....I will have to do that soon!

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  2. We haven't been on a vacation together since we had the little ones. Since they're only five and seven we've always taken trips together. We are finally planning on going away some time during the Winter after Christmas, I'm hoping Mexico or the Bahamas, somewhere all inclusive. I'm excited. We're also going away to California with the kiddos this October, should be fun!

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    1. california sounds awesome - I would love to visit there!

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  3. We have one night each year over our anniversary where we go back to Victoria where we took our honeymoon. Other than that we don't travel without our girls. We didn't have them to leave them behind.

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    1. what a nice way to celebrate your anniversary!

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  4. We make it a must to have some type of vacation every year. Last year we went to Disney, this year we are going again and then we will have to wait a year or two to make any other big vacations. But, every year we try to get away to Michigan, Chicago, Ohio or Toronto which are all near by and affordable to get away to. We have such busy lives, we need time to disconnect, relax and spend quality time. :) When we go out of town, it's always with the girls but, for over nighters here in Windsor or in Detroit, Hubby and I use it to reconnect as a couple. :)

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    1. I would like to do 1 0r 2 overnighters with hubby alone...unfortunately $$ is not there for that at the moment

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  5. Same here! I could not imagine going away on vacation without our daughter. Growing up, my parents took us everywhere with them. We used to go to NYC, Trinidad & Tobago, Florida, etc...and always as a family.

    Hubs and I have never been on vacation without Little One. I have a hard time being away from her even when she is at my parents' and they live 4 min away by car! LOL! The first time I was away from her was last year when I attended SCCTO! I cried in my hotel room and I called home every night. She was FINE! I wasn't! LOL!

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    1. I don't mind ODS going to my IL's for sleepovers now - but they didnt start until he was 3 and I was gearing up to deliver YDS...now he goes 1 night every few months...YDS, not ready yet

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  6. I've never really been on a vacation. We are going to the cottage next week and considering that a vacation - but not really, because we will still be cooking/cleaning/laundry. Everything we do at home, but without the conveniences. lol!

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  7. Growing up we always went to the city once a year (in the summer) for our family vacation. And usually it was just with our dad as mom had anxiety and never really travelled with us because of it.

    Hubby and I don't do date nights or anything. We've never had a trip away from the kids either. I would love to try it but also afraid at the same time.

    If we go on vacations (which we try to do once a year, sometimes more) the kids come with! It's fun and crazy but that's the way it is.

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    1. Date nights are fun - we don't go as often as we used to, but we still try and have them at home at least 1xmth

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  8. This is a bone of contention sometimes with my husband. His parents took them traveling but also took many vacations by themselves. We never went on vacations because my mom could not afford it. I feel the same way, I want to experience traveling with my kids, and not leave them behind. It's nice to get away but for me a weekend alone would be enough. We also went to Disney and had a blast.

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    1. I figure that when my kids are grown up, we can travel for ourselves. Glad you enjoyed disney also!

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  9. I travelled a LOT as a kid, I've been to almost every state in the US...but now it really saddens me that we barely ever travel. My ex and I took the kids to Disney about 7 years ago. My new man worries about money too much, so we don't travel :(

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    1. I am jealous of all your previous travel. I have spent time in Florida and Nova Scotia - but that'a about it. I would love to see more of North America

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  10. Growing up we too went on the occassional day trip but family vacations didn't happen until I was in my late teens. We would take an annual trip to my moms friends in New Jersey and visit the board walk. One year we went to holland for two weeks. Nothing major. I think as the kids get older we may take them on more than just day trips too.

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    1. Holland? wow - what an incredible experience!

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