Opinions please: Only taking one kid

[megs4413]

So, I really want to take just my oldest to WDW sometime this year. Just her and I.

BUT, how hard would that be on my other kids? is it not fair? I wouldn't be planning to take the other kids any time soon. We've been on 3 trips to WDW as a family, though DD2 has only been on one because she wasn't born yet for the other two.

Thoughts?

[SnuggleBuggles]

I took ds1 to NYC. It is a trip I plan to do with just ds2 in the future. That made things all good with ds2. If you won't reciprocate in some way, that's a different story.


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[Liziz]

My parents did a special one on one trip with each of the kids in my family. (So I've taken two "special" trips -- one that was just my mom and I, one that was just my dad and I. they did the same thing with my siblings.) The trips were not all the same, nor were they even all equivalent in value or time spent. But they were all trips that were meaningful to us. I have extraordinarily good memories of those trips. It gave me special time with my parents in a way I didn't normally get (even though we're a very close family). I think it's a great idea and you should do it. Plan to do something with your younger children at a later date -- you don't have to commit to what that will be now, nor even worry about it being fair (life isn't fair, and I don't think we do our kids favors by trying to make everything exactly equal). Your two yo is too little to care much yet, but just explain to your 9 year old that in a few years you'll plan a special trip with him. It will be a special time for you and your DD.

[daisysmom]

My parents did this with us (4 kids) and I have a few friends IRL that do this with their kids too. Not at all unusual. But I do think it would be hard if you didn't tell all the kids that each of them will have a special grip like this at X age.

[KrisM]

I think it depends on the reasons. Why just the 2 of you? Why not plan to do it for the siblings in a few years? Do you do other things with just one child?

DS1 and I went to Universal. There are no plans to do anything similar with the other kids. But, we were there for a National Tournament and just stayed an extra night so we could go to Universal. So far, there hasn't been a reason for me to do anything similar with the others, but if they were to do something like that, we would go for sure.

[georgiegirl]

I know my middle child would freak out if he wasn't included. Unless I had firm plans to take him somewhere alone, I would never head the end of it.


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[trcy]

I wouldn't, unless you were able to do something equally as special with the others. Something similar happened to my cousin and me (it was not even as special as WDW) and we were both very hurt.


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[gatorsmom]

I know my middle child would freak out if he wasn't included. Unless I had firm plans to take him somewhere alone, I would never head the end of it.


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ITA. Each of our kids gets to go on a special trip with Dh for their First Communion gift. My older 2 boys flew with Dh to spend time with the cousins. Dd and I drive with her class friends and their mom to Chicago to see the Joffre ballet and stay at the Four Seasons. Ds3 says he wants to do a family trip for his special trip.

Each time a kid left, the other ones whined constantly about how they couldn't wait til it was their turn and was I sure they were going to get their turn??

I wouldn't take only one kid unless you want hurt feelings with the other kids.

[123LuckyMom]

I'm sorry, but there's NO WAY I'd take only one child to Disney. It's not a movie and ice cream! It's a big deal trip. What you absolutely could do is plan a family Disney trip and have special one-on-one time with each child while there, even a full day of one-on-one. For our family, though, Disney is just too special a trip. There isn't another trip that would compare. The only way I could see that working is if each child can get a trip of equivalent value at that age-- like a family tradition that each kid gets a trip with Mom when s/he turns x age. If they each choose Disney, so be it. Even with that plan, though, I can't see the other kids not feeling resentful. I wouldn't do it. I'd go as a family and have one-on-one time with each child while there.


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[klwa]

My parents did a special one on one trip with each of the kids in my family. (So I've taken two "special" trips -- one that was just my mom and I, one that was just my dad and I. they did the same thing with my siblings.) The trips were not all the same, nor were they even all equivalent in value or time spent. But they were all trips that were meaningful to us. I have extraordinarily good memories of those trips. It gave me special time with my parents in a way I didn't normally get (even though we're a very close family). I think it's a great idea and you should do it. Plan to do something with your younger children at a later date -- you don't have to commit to what that will be now, nor even worry about it being fair (life isn't fair, and I don't think we do our kids favors by trying to make everything exactly equal). Your two yo is too little to care much yet, but just explain to your 9 year old that in a few years you'll plan a special trip with him. It will be a special time for you and your DD.

If it's phrased as, "Each of you will have a special Mommy & me trip to celebrate turning 12, and YOU get to pick where!" then I think it's okay. I wouldn't do it, though if I wasn't prepared to follow through with that.