As the vacation season is in full swing, many families are gearing up to travel together, but have you ever considered planning a parent getaway?
Yes, I am talking about a trip with only you and your partner. No kids.
A parent getaway should be an intentional part of your parenting plan sooner rather than later for the health of your marriage and family.
Our Parent Getaway Experience
The sad fact is that my husband and I have been parents for almost 10 years and, except one long weekend, had never gone on a trip together away from the kids. Some of the reasons might resonate with you.
- We don’t live by family for easy access to childcare for a longer trip away.
- We always had a child in the infant/toddler stage which is harder to leave.
- My husband’s vacation is limited so when he does take time off we use it for family vacations.
- We simply weren’t intentional with making it a priority.
- I homeschool my kids and have gotten very comfortable with always being with them.
However, a chance to plan a parent getaway came up with my husband traveling to Croatia frequently for his job. I was feeling jealous of not getting to experience a new place with him. I realized, with our youngest now being 4, there really was no excuses for me to not go.
So we started planning how to make it happen. We flew my mom out to watch the kids for a week. Booked the flight to meet my husband in Split, Croatia after he was finished with his work, and explored this beautiful area of Europe together!
5 Reason Why You Need to Plan a Parent Getaway
After this experience, I wondered why we hadn’t done this sooner! Here are the 5 reasons why you MUST make it a priority in your relationship.
1) Reconnect with your partner
There is something powerful about an extended, uninterrupted time together. You are able to make new memories as a couple, talk and enjoy each other, and get some space from the daily grind of life. Strong marriages are built by staying connected. Both you and your children benefit from a healthy marriage.
2) Much Needed Rest from Parenting
Parenting is hard and a 24/7 job. You need some periodic breaks from your children in order to recharge and appreciate them. The best part of planning a parent getaway is the break from considering your children’s eating preferences and getting to chose outings that only adults would enjoy.
3) Shows Your Relationship Is Important
Modeling strong relationship skills is important for your children. They need to see that your relationship with your partner is important. They are watching and we need to model what it takes to build and maintain a marriage relationship and nurture a strong family.
4) Allows Others to Pour into Your Children
A side benefit of going away is that you are allowing someone else into your child’s life. In our case it was a whole week of time with Grandma. Allowing other special and important people in your child’s life pour into them during the time you are gone, builds relationships and develops your child’s character in ways that you can’t in the parent role.
5) Develops Your Child’s Confidence and Trust
Finally, having you go away gives your child a chance for personal growth. Handling the challenge of mom and dad being away provides the opportunity to them problem solve and do things independently. This builds their confidence and also shows that you trust them enough to be away from them.
When we got back from the trip, refreshed and renewed, our kids said to us, “You guys need to go away more often!” This made me laugh and say to myself “Yes, yes I think we will!”
A parent getaway needs to be an intentional part of your parenting plan sooner rather than later for the health of your marriage and family. It doesn’t have to be a big trip. Start small. Check out some nearby San Diego getaways!
When are you planning yours?
Look out for a Part 2 in the near future, I will talk about the logistics of how to plan and make it happen.
