Vacations are necessary for you and your children. It is a great way to learn, explore, bond and spend quality time together. However, you may feel the need to have some time alone away from them.
Single parenting may be challenging at times, and you may need a break from your daily routine. Travelling without your children is not selfish but rather necessary for self-care.
If you are planning to travel without your children, here are some of the best tips to help you in preparing for travel.
Find the Right Caregiver
One of the most crucial decisions to make while travelling is to ensure you leave your child with someone trustworthy and is available to look after them. Consider making arrangements with your fellow co-parent, if they have the means to support a child. It could also be best if you left them behind with your parents or siblings.
If your family members cannot look after them, you can leave them behind your close friends. You can also hire someone to take care of them while away.
Regardless of who you leave your child with, ensure they are comfortable around them. You do not want to leave them with high anxiety levels, wondering if they are getting the proper form of care.
Talk to Your Kids About It
While you plan to spend some time alone, it is best to let your children be aware of it. Talking to them about it prepares them for what lies ahead, making it easier to cope with being away from you. It will also make it easy for you to understand who they feel more comfortable around.
In this case, if they are unhappy being around their father, grandparents or friends, you are sure that it is not the best option for them. Therefore, you are in a better position to find better alternatives that will make your children feel safer.
Set Expectations
It is best to set expectations on what you expect from your children and their caregivers. Specifically, ensure you set rules on their safety and their behaviors. However, do not create so many rules for the caregiver.
Instead, allow them to implement their ways of childcare, provided it is appropriate for your children. Also, ensure you plan medical care in case of an emergency. In this case, leave your credit and insurance card or some cash behind for medical needs.
Stay in Contact
Despite having some alone time, ensure you stay in contact with your children. Establish guidelines with the caregiver on when to communicate with your child based on their availability.
Some caregivers may feel that they should call you when there is a problem. In this case, they don’t feel the need to keep calling or texting you often. Therefore, plan on the most appropriate communication upfront to ensure it works for both of you.
Conclusion
Leaving your children behind, especially young ones, may make you feel worried and guilty. However, it is good to have some time alone as a form of self-care, especially while single parenting. Hopefully, these tips will help you plan well while leaving your children behind, giving you a better time alone.