My Medical School 10-year reunion was this weekend, and my husband and I traveled to Atlanta alone. Without our five kids, I must add. And we had a ball! The last time we did anything like this was at least 8 months ago. That trip was to a UM vs LSU football game in Dallas, Texas. Other than that, our kids usually travel everywhere with us. It was nice to get away for the weekend, and to really be able to enjoy ourselves sans kids. Read on for 8 benefits of traveling without kids. Things I noticed that made my life very different – and a whole lot easier:
1. Flexibility
My husband and I had a flight out of South Florida on Friday evening. The reunion events were supposed to start that night in Atlanta. Our flight was delayed by two hours because of a mechanical issue with the plane. We were left stranded in the airport for that amount of time.
At first, it sucked.
But, luckily, it was just us. We were able to hang out in an airport lounge and relax. Things would’ve been very different had the kids been there. The endless questions, complaints, bathroom trips and food runs would’ve driven us crazy!
We were late for the first event that night, which was at Top Golf. But we were able to go straight there after leaving the airport. If we had the kids, I’m sure we would’ve needed to stop for something! Throughout the weekend, our schedule was so flexible, since it was just the two of us. We were able to just go with the flow, and change lunch or shopping plans at the last minute. We didn’t have to plan around nap times (except mine!) or bedtimes. Eating didn’t have to happen on a set schedule. It was nice!
2. Less worry about safety
I have to admit, my husband is very over-protective of me and the kids. He’s the guy that never sits with his back to the restaurant door when he’s out with us. He’s always hyper-aware. Very rarely do we stray from our regular routines, or take any risks when it comes to the kids. But, when we got to out hotel in Atlanta, we realized they had bikes to borrow. To my surprise, my husband said “we should go for a bike ride.” Yep! We went bike-riding around Midtown Atlanta for an hour on Sunday afternoon just to waste time. Then headed to the airport to catch our return flight. If we had the kids with us, that thought would’ve NEVER crossed his mind!
3. Less to pack
Of course, this is one of the more obvious benefits of traveling without kids. Anyone who has traveled with an infant or toddler knows the amount of things they usually require! Our suitcases were lighter, and we just had less stuff in general to bring with us. Less stuff meant our hotel room more organized. And it was a whole lot easier to pack up to leave than is normally is.
4. Uninterrupted meals
Usually, when we go out to eat with the kids, my plate is the last one touched. I make sure the kids are all happy and fed. Everyone has to have what they need to enjoy their meals before I get started on mine. Sometimes, I don’t even order a meal for myself. I just know I’ll eat whatever everyone else leaves on their plates (yep, just the mommy in me!).
But, during this trip, my hubby and I made a mid-day lunch stop at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in Marietta. He’d been craving it since we planned the trip. We ordered appetizers and enjoyed them – WARM! I order myself a nice hefty lobster for lunch just because I could! I ate most of it and took the rest back to the hotel and ate it the next day. This, I never can do with the kids around. My left-overs are usually devoured by one or all of them. It was nice to not have to rush to finish our meal before someone got cranky. And to also not have to worry about bickering or bathroom breaks. We just ate and enjoyed ourselves.
5. Focus on myself
When I’m at home, if I don’t get up extra-early, I end up rushing through my self-care. I do a rushed job on my hair, make up, and sometimes even my outfit choices because I know I have 5 other little human beings that need to get ready. My primping process is always interrupted by someone needing something! Even the simple pleasure of looking in the mirror to make sure my outfit looks ok doesn’t always happen. In Atlanta, I was able to spend a little extra time to get myself ready. Just 15 minutes made me feel like myself again. I could really pay attention to just making myself look great, which in turn made me feel great. I know I lose myself in “wifehood” and “motherhood” a lot of the time. So it was nice to be selfish and really spend some time on myself.
6. Focus on my husband
Not only was I able to focus on myself, but of course my husband got extra attention during this trip. I didn’t have to worry about the needs of all of the kids. I was able to make sure he had everything he needed and to just reconnect with him emotionally. We were actually able to sit down and do a lot of talking about our future. It made this little getaway well worth it! We always try to have our Nightly Date Nights, but it was so nice to have a change of scenery. To explore the city together. I even made it to the gym with my husband on Sunday morning, which I’m never able to do. It was nice being able to see his crazy workouts and to just admire him 🙂
7. Uninterrupted sleep
Anyone who knows me knows that I value a good nap. While we had a lot of fun this weekend with different activities, we also got some much-needed rest. Midday naps and 2 full nights of uninterrupted sleep really made me feel like a new person! I usually wake up at least once at night with my little monster. Since he just can’t seem to fall back to sleep by himself. Though I kinda missed him, I also realized how much I missed my sleep!
8. Kids get spoiled
My parents stayed behind at our house with our 5 kids while we went away. My in-laws also came over, and so did my brother and nieces. Needless to say, our kids were utterly spoiled this weekend. Just imagine your kids with all 4 grandparents in one weekend! We came back to a fridge and pantry filled with their favorite things, and happy, full kids. Their grandparents also got a taste of what our Saturday morning routine is like. With all of the kids activities, they weren’t envious at all.
All in all, we had a great trip. We all got something out of it – me, my husband, and the kids (plus their grandparents!). Our marriage was rejuvenated, and I was motivated to practice more self care. Though we love traveling with our kids, it was nice to get away and just be a couple again. I highly recommend and occasional trip for any married couple, or even for moms who just need a little break!
Are you preparing to travel without your kids? Or are you planning to leave your kids with a new babysitter? If so, get a handy printable of my Things To Do Before Traveling Without Kids by filling out the box below. You’ll also get my Medical Authorization Form and Emergency Contact Forms, which are SO important to leave behind. As a bonus, you’ll get access to my Resource Library filled with helpful cheat sheets, worksheets, and printables to make your life easier. Plus, you’ll receive my weekly newsletter with encouragement, lessons learned, and tips on making it through this journey as a working wife and mom.
Or, if you kids will be coming along for your next big trip, here are my 13 Tips For Traveling With Kids.
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