S/o poll: have you ever been on a long trip with your kids and w/out another adult?

[Mrs Mungo]

The other poll and reactions there made me curious.

 

For the purpose of this poll, "long trip" is defined as a car ride that lasts more than 10 hours or a plane ride in which you spend greater than five hours in the air.

[Anita in NC]

Last year I took my 3 boys to Florida for 3 weeks. We did a cruise and all the Disney World parks and fun stuff.

 

They all did really well even the, then, 6 year old.

[Joker]

I've done one long car trip alone with the kids from Iowa to Texas and back. I've never had a five hour flight.:tongue_smilie: I've done a few 2.5 - 3 hour flights alone with the kids, though.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

We just drove to georgia and back. 16 hours each way and I'm single, so I did it alone.

[swellmomma]

Not yet, but hope to next summer. I take trips all the time with just me and kids, but we have not had one with that much driving. Our max to date is 5 hours, next year I plan to drive from Close to the border of Alberta/Sask to Vancouver BC to visit my brother and let the kids see the ocean, we will be looking at around a 15 hour drive if we go straight through.

[bairnmama]

I have driven over 1000 miles one way almost too many times to count while being the only adult. The first time I had an 8 month old and a dog. Once was with a 3 yr old and a 6 wk old. My dd had been to 8 different states, many of them more than 3 times, before she was 1 yr old!

 

I tried traveling at night only 1 time and I will NEVER do it again. Ds was under 2 and had always slept on his stomach. He kept trying to turn over in his car seat, waking up and crying... over and over all.night.long! We normally break it up into a 3 day drive now and just stop to walk/play when we're tired of sitting.

[kalanamak]

I said other, because although I've not been on any trips alone with kiddo, hubby has been on several, including a wonderful loop through the whole of the West. I stay and work overtime to fund those trips.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

I've done many long haul flights with my kids. Not as many long car trips though.

[Mrs Mungo]

I have driven a greater than 20 hour car ride by myself with the kids several times, and I have been on several flights of six hours or more alone with my kids.

[Meriwether]

No, but I regularly (approx. 3x/year) drive just over 7 hours with (now) 4 kids. That includes one 15 min. stop. The rest of the time we are driving. I could see doing 10 hours if I had to, but that should only happen if Dh gets transferred to Minnesota. I wouldn't do a longer trip by myself just for fun.

[Jennifer]

My preferred option wasn't listed:

"Yes, but never again". :)

 

Jennifer

[Bug's Mom]

The other poll and reactions there made me curious.

 

For the purpose of this poll, "long trip" is defined as a car ride that lasts more than 10 hours or a plane ride in which you spend greater than five hours in the air.

 

I voted "yes, more than once", though it wasn't by car or plane...I figured 30-40 hours on a train with a 2-year-old qualified. :tongue_smilie:The first time, on the 2nd day of the trip, she broke out with chicken pox. Oh, and the AC in our train car went out in New Mexico on the return trip. It was early-August. We had fun despite all that.

[annandatje]

I have no qualms about taking long road or plane trip alone with children.

[Barb_]

I logged 5800 miles in roadtrips over the summer with 5-6 kids. My oldest stayed behind with her dad in Chicago during the trip back which freed up some room, but made the trip tougher. The first day is always the worst, but then everyone settles in and realizes we're in for the long haul. I've done cross country trips with the kids for moves and for visiting family since 1996. It used to be harder, but has gotten easier with technology and experience. We actually really love roadtrips and they have become a big part of our family culture.

 

Barb

[Denisemomof4]

yes, more than once. This was more when my boys were younger. I may have taken the three oldest alone before but don't remember.

 

I have never taken all four kids alone. I would, it's not the number that matters, it just never happened. And now it never will as my oldest has a girlfriend. That's all I have to say about that.:tongue_smilie:

[Crissy]

No. Never.

But I still give my boys Calms Forte when they're having difficulty relaxing enough to sleep.

;)

[Farrar]

Yes. And there were no drugs involved. Unless you count extra junk food.:tongue_smilie:

[Meriwether]

yes, more than once. This was more when my boys were younger. I may have taken the three oldest alone before but don't remember.

 

I have never taken all four kids alone. I would, it's not the number that matters, it just never happened. And now it never will as my oldest has a girlfriend. That's all I have to say about that.:tongue_smilie:

 

For me it isn't the number of kids, either; it is the ages. I'd take the oldest three on a trip across the U.S. The baby - no so much.

[Mrs Mungo]

Yes. And there were no drugs involved. Unless you count extra junk food.:tongue_smilie:

 

Junk food?! You are a shockingly bad parent. :tongue_smilie: <--this is my kidding smiley. :D

[twoxcell]

No, and I can't imagine ever doing so.

[Cricket]

Twice I've taken all four kids to my in-laws 12 hours away. When I only had three kids, we took Amtrak from Oregon to Minnesota--27 hours each way.

[Princess Peach]

I have never done 10+ hours by myself with the kids. The longest has been 7 hours.

[Murmer]

I just drove 4 days by myself with my to kids...basically coast to coast. It was great fun lol

[lewelma]

Not a car ride, but I have travelled to and from New Zealand with my boys multiple times. The worst taking 52 hours because a storm in DC delayed our first flight causing us to miss the next 4 flights and have to fly standby for 52 hours! They were 6 and 9 at the time.

 

I have also helped out women travelling internationally with babies and toddlers. I watch the children while they go to the bathroom in the airplane or in the airport (a tricky thing to do when you have a cart of luggage also.) I always thought it must be hard to trust a stranger with your children at an airport because you really had to "go."

 

Ruth in NZ

[Jennifer in MI]

Yes. I drove to FL last summer from MI alone with the kids. This summer I drove from MI to GA and back. I'd definitely do it again!

[Meriwether]

I thought of something else -I'm sitting here making photocopies. I wouldn't drug the kids, but I'll let them watch movies after the first 2-3 hours. I don't care if that is cheating. Soon after we moved to our present home, I took the three oldest kids down to my mom's. I was very pregnant and the kids were 6, just turned 5, and just turned 3. We were driving along and the kids asked to watch a show. I said sure, but the kids couldn't find the DVD player. We had forgotten it. :eek: For the last 3 hours, the three year old sang and talked and talked and sang. Loudly. My daughter was beside herself.

 

Dd: Mom! Make him stop!

 

Me: I can't, Honey. There is nothing else for him to do. He can't read. I brought no toys for him. We have to let him sing.

 

For three very. long. hours.

[cloversandlions]

I've done 1 long car trip without another adult - ds was 5.5y, dd1 was 3y, and dd2 was about 8 weeks old. We were fleeing Hurricane Frances, so although I was the only adult in the car, there were lots of adults and lots of other cars on the road with me: the trip to NC should have taken about 10 hours; instead, it took over 16. :001_huh:

 

When we moved across country, dh was already here, so I flew on a direct flight from FL to CA with my three children (ages 7, 5 and 2), plus two dogs and a cat in cargo. That was fun. :lol:

 

I've been contemplating a trip across country (by car - well, van), but my kids are not as enthusiastic about it as I am. Huh.

 

(I answered the poll incorrectly - I responded "yes" but I should have selected the "more than once" option.)

[amy g.]

I never have, and don't ever plan to.

[Ellie]

How about a Greyhound bus from San Diego to Norfolk with a 5yo and 8yo? :D

[BeautifulLife]

Yes, many times! The kids and I flew back and forth between Hawaii and Florida a few times when DH was stationed at Pearl Harbor. I do fly/drive by myself with the kids quite often, but that's only because he is deployed so much of the time. When he's here, I never go anywhere without him! :)

[Ellie]

I've also done San Jose to Seattle (14 hrs.), although with just one older child.

[Bug's Mom]

How about a Greyhound bus from San Diego to Norfolk with a 5yo and 8yo? :D

 

That tops my 40 hours on a train with a 2-year-old with chicken pox!:eek:

[blessedmom4god]

Yes, I drove 10.5 hours with all four kids(1.5 years ago) then stopped and picked my mom up and went 6 more hours. My nephew was in a car wreck and was in the hospital in Mobile, Al we lived in Kansas City, Mo at the time and I drove straight through. Total of 16.5 hours, course my mom was with me the last 6.

[Parrothead]

Yes, I drove dd from SC to AZ by myself when dd was 3 years old. It was us and one cat.

 

I've also gone southern border to northern border with just dd in the vehicle with me. Dh drove the U-haul behind us.

 

And I've done MT to ME same as the south to north drive, but I had two cats. Dh had the dog in the U-haul.

Edited August 11, 2011 by Parrothead

[Caroline]

I have done car rides from Atlanta to Baltimore, Atlanta to Williamsburg, Atlanta to Orlando, and Atlanta to Fort Pierce, FL by myself with the kids.

[twoxcell]

My question is why would you take such a trip alone with a child? Someone would literally have to force me:tongue_smilie:, but pretty much all of our family lives in the same state as us and close by. My BIL, and SIL are down in Mexico and want us to visit, but we have yet to make the 19 hr drive. That does not sound fun with babies, and we can't afford the passports.

[Ginevra]

I chose other. I have done it with one of my three kids various times. I have not done it with all three and no other adult.

[Crissy]

I've also done San Jose to Seattle (14 hrs.), although with just one older child.

 

:eek:

How does San Jose to Seattle take 14 hours?!

 

ETA: I just saw your other post. Train?

[Harriet Vane]

I took the kids on a 2-week car trip by myself. We really enjoyed it, and I'd love to do it again.

[twoxcell]

How does San Jose to Seattle take 14 hours?!

According to MapQuest:

San Jose CA to Seattle WA:

I-5 S13 hrs 43 mins / 838.39 miles

 

 

I-5 S to US-97 S14 hrs 21 mins / 836.81 miles

 

and that is driving not train!

[Rosie_0801]

I always thought it must be hard to trust a stranger with your children at an airport because you really had to "go."

 

I will always remember the cleaner in the bathroom at Singapore airport with great fondness. 14 hours is a long time to wait between loo trips and there isn't really anywhere to put a 12 month old in a public bathroom. Better the cleaning lady's arms than the floor. :ack2:

 

So yes, I took dd to Europe by myself the day after she turned one, and I took both kids on a week and a half round trip from central Victoria to central Queensland.

 

Why did I take these trips alone? In the first case, we couldn't afford for dh to come too. The second trip was taken because he needed us to get out of the house so he could study. A road trip is easier with small kids than keeping them contained in a caravan. Besides, I have itchy feet and hadn't been anywhere in AGES!

 

I sat behind a mamma and her two or three year old on a two day train trip from Adelaide to Perth. She did marvellously!

 

I haven't been anywhere in ages. If I had the dosh, I wouldn't be posting here. I'd be on the Nullabour!

 

Rosie

[Mrs Mungo]

My question is why would you take such a trip alone with a child? Someone would literally have to force me:tongue_smilie:, but pretty much all of our family lives in the same state as us and close by. My BIL, and SIL are down in Mexico and want us to visit, but we have yet to make the 19 hr drive. That does not sound fun with babies, and we can't afford the passports.

 

I think the closest we have lived to either of our families was a 16 hour car ride, and dh leaves the country for months at a time.

Edited August 11, 2011 by Mrs Mungo

[Puma Mom]

Yes. Each trip lasted about a week.

 

Off the top of my head....

Multiple car trips from Atlanta to VA, 10 hrs, until the oldest was 6.

Car trip from Syracuse to Atlanta, 17 hrs, when the boys were 3 and 6.

Flight to Scotland with dd and fake dd when they were 10 and 15.

Car trip to Nova Scotia/PEI with dd when she was 13.

 

All of these trips were purely for our enjoyment.

[Lawana]

My question is why would you take such a trip alone with a child? Someone would literally have to force me:tongue_smilie:, but pretty much all of our family lives in the same state as us and close by. .

You just answered your own question.

 

My family lives(d) 2000 miles away. I've driven the kids there myself when they were 5 and 7, and flown numerous times. If I always waited until dh was available, we would have gone maybe twice in 15 years.

[5LittleMonkeys]

I drove between TN and CO 4 times with 4 dc and a dog. I think it was about 20 hours of driving time one way, not including stopping to eat and staying at a hotel overnight.

 

I also drove from Portland, OR to TN with said dc and dog. I don't even remember how long that one was. All I know is that it was looooooong.

[LibraryLover]

Yep. The longest was 3 kids, 10 days, ages 4, 9, 10. Dh did meet us for days 11-16 with our oldest son (who was in high school at the time). We go because we can. As hsers, we have time to travel.

Edited August 11, 2011 by LibraryLover

[RahRah]

Lots of times....

 

Drives to-from:

 

MO --> Vail, CO 2x

MO --> Washington, DC 2x

MO --> Orlando, FL 2x

MO --> New York, NY 4x

MO --> Nashville, TN

MO --> Atlanta, GA

MO --> Colorado Springs, CO

MO --> Little Rock, AR

MO --> Denver, CO 2x

MO --> Chicago, IL 2x

 

In October I'll be doing MO --> Orlando again with just me, DS and the baby, DH will fly in and out...then in February we'll drive ahead of DH flying to Vail/Eagle.

 

I've done a number of flights with just DS too, but from where we are in the country, even with a stop-over, nowhere takes more than 5-6 hours including the stop! And, well, with the TSA these days, I'd rather drive!

[Kathleen in VA]

I took all 5 of mine to Jacksonville, NC in March of 2003 to be with a friend who's husband had been deployed to Iraq at the very beginning of the war. Not sure if that is actually a 10-hour trip, but I got lost and it took us at least that long to get there.

[ladydusk]

Last summer I drove from Columbus to Atlanta (a little less than 12 hours) with my (then) 5, 4, and 3 year old. I was nervous, but everything went fine :)

[Mrs Mungo]

I've done a number of flights with just DS too, but from where we are in the country, even with a stop-over, nowhere takes more than 5-6 hours including the stop! And, well, with the TSA these days, I'd rather drive!

 

My long flights have been to/from places outside of the continental US. :)