is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

I dont know at age three I can count on one hand the amount of times we leave Bryan age 3 overnight. We just over the stage of going out and partying. Our friends, however are not. One couple has a son Bryans age, he goes to daycare full time like Bryan and they leave him overnight EVERY weekend at his grandparents. Another couple that we are friends with had a baby 4 weeks ago and already has left him overnight at his grandma 2X Basically Dh and I are now looked down on as no fun becuase we actually enjoy spending time with our child on the weekend instead of getting drunk Im in the market for some new friends.

Does everyone leave their dc often or are we the only one's??

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

We have never left DS with anyone overnight - not once - and he's 3. DH refuses to even consider it.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

I was away from Sarah (3yo) for 2 nights when I had Andy.

She's slept over at my mother's once, my mom lives in the same town as us so I could be there in 5 minutes if she was upset about being away from home.

Never left Andy (2yo).

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

To ME - you sound like a good and responsible parent.

To ME - you sound like you are doing the right thing by your kid.

I mean - I (personally) have been away from my kids no more than 3 - 4 times in their lives and they are 5 & 7.

As to the other couple? They don't have to live up to anyone elses standards but their own. I don't happen to think they are doing any justice to their child.. but I don't live in their home, I have never walked in their shoes and I have decided to stop trying to negatively judge anyone for actions that I don't understand.

But you? Again - YOU sound like my own definition of a good, caring and loving parent. And I think your child will totally benefit from it.

Message edited 7/5/2008 1:45:59 PM.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

I never did and i dont see the point bc I know i would still be up early to get her back!! LOL her smiling face in the morning makes my day :)

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

We have never left DD overnight. never had a reason. Our days of going out late are long gone. Although I wouldn't mind leaving her for one night with my mom just so I could get one good nights sleep.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

DD is 2 months old, never left her overnight, would never for a night out. We left her for 3 or 4 hours last weekend for a wedding and we both missed her the whole time, and raced home to be back with her. The next time we plan on spending abour 4+ weekend hours away from her will be when we go out for our 1 year anniversary.

Once I go back to work I could feasibly have to go away for meetings 2x's a year (usually they are 3-4 days each) and every so often a training class. However, DH will be with her. DH does what I do for work so he too will have to leave for meetings about 2 or 3 times a year for about a week (or less) per meeting. But I have no plans to leave her overnight - espeicially once she's in daycare during the week... weekends she is the #1 priority - maybe we'll do a "date night" on Friday nights, but only a few hours... not o/n.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

My parents are begging to keep Christopher overnight. And probably by the end of the summer I may be ready (he will be 16 months then). Then maybe DH and I can see a movie or something.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

We've never left Ale with anyone overnight. She's only 1 but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

We left Bryan to go to a wedding just for a few hours. Could NOT wait to get home to him.
I left Bryan, not planned at all, when I had emergency surgery last year. I was devastated. I was away for 4 nights.

We are talking about going away Next Oct. for our 10 year anniversary. Im excited, but, already getting anxious over it.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

Rj will be 3 is Sept and he slept at my mothers once @ about 12 weeks, because DH and I would be home very late and I didnt think it was fair to my mom to expect her to stay at my house...

Other than that- we have never left him and arent ready.

We go to dinner or a movie every now and then, but its usually later after ds is in bed, or right before bed time- and even then its just a few hours, at our house with his grandparents.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

I do not judge what other people do. My dd goes to nana and pop-pop's for sleepovers MAYBE once every other month or so

Message edited 7/5/2008 2:15:01 PM.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

We never have, and don't think we will. At least not in the near future.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

Yes, we have a handful of times, but only to her grandparents.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

DD will stay at my parents house over night probably once a month or so. Sometimes at my BIL's also.. and I love it. We have a lot of friends that go out on the weekends or go away for long weekends and its nice to be able to go with them

I've said it before that everyone is different and nobody can tell you if youre right or wrong lol. Why would you leave them over night if you wouldnt be comfortable? Or if you just dont want to go out and get drunk?

We dont go out and get drunk (well, not all the time) everytime she is away from us but we do go out and have a good time with our friends.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

I see nothing wrong with leaving your child overnight with family who you trust if you are going on a trip, have a wedding and won't be home until late, or just want your DC to spend time with grandparents. THERE IS a problem to me with going out and partying every weekend and leaving the baby... I mean, grow up. Your a parent now and that child is your responsibility. We have left Ryan and Erin with my parents, or my IL's a bunch of times for the reasons mentioned above and I have no problems what so ever with it.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

well im the odd ball out..my dd has sleepovers at grandma's almost every other saturday. since about 1 month old.i also am a sahm with a very difficult child..so i love missing her. it makes me appreciate her more. since i had another baby they both have sleepovers at least once every 2 wks

also when they go to grandmas, we dont go out drinking..dh and i just have a date night and a good night sleep. my dh is my best friend in the whole world and its so draining to not be able to give him the attention he needs or deserves..i have 2 kids a dog and a dh all needing MY attention. so i love catching up with him over a nice quiet dinner.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

We have had babysitters come and sleep over if we go out to dinner and then out to bars in the city. My parents or his will watch her too, but not very often overnight. BUT, I am planning on leaving DD with the grandparents and DH next April for a girls weekend in St. John. There are arguments to both sides...I don't think either is better/worse than the other...you do what works for you.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

Jared goes to his grandparents on Wednesday nights and sleeps over. I come and get him Thursday evening.

Sometimes when we want to go out to dinner or catch a movie, he'll stay over on a Friday or Saturday night.

We went on a week vacation without him and he stayed with my parents....he was one.

When we first moved into our home, to get everything done quickly, we left him with my parents for 3 days straight.

I'm not afraid to leave him with my parents. I love having a little bit of freedom and they love having their grandson at their house. It's a win/win situation...

Message edited 7/5/2008 3:27:09 PM.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

We have left our DD with with our parents over night while we traveled. (I think the longest time was a week.) Our DD LOVES spending time with her grandparents, so I guess I don't see it as a big deal. Both our parents did a pretty damn good job raising us, so we trust them.

We haven't left our DS with the grandparents yet, but that's only because we haven't had the need. We have vacation plans in the works for next month and November, so both kids will be spending some "quality time" with the grandparents soon.


ETA: I believe our DD was 3 mos when she was left alone overnight for a period of time with the grandparent(s).

Message edited 7/5/2008 3:31:49 PM.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

My DS is 9 months and he has never slept away from us overnight. I am a SAHM and I spend time with my DS all week, but I love spending time with my DH and DS on the weekends.

ETA: My Il's and mom have come over on the weekend to watch my DS a few times when we have gone out to a wedding, play , etc.. Actually my DH and I have discussed trying to do something at night at least once a month in the future. I am pregnant right now so often I get very tired at night. I am sure after my 2nd baby is born we will definitely try to get out at least one night a month. I just would not be able to leave my DS overnight every weekend. I actually rather have someone come over my house to watch my DS. We often spend the night as a family at my mom's house since she leaves an hour away.

Message edited 7/5/2008 4:19:54 PM.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

If I had family nearby I would leave my son as often as I could without taking the mick out of who ever was watching them. Its wonderful to be able to feel confident enough about who ever is watching your child to be able to do that and I think its probably good for the child to be familiar with sleeping at other peoples houses also.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

All my girls have slept at grandmas or such when they were younger so I could go out....I was a single Mom and it seriously saved my sanity to get out. I think it was about 2x per month or so...every other weekend.

DH and I have yet to leave DS yet. We just arent ready yet and DS still gets up so we'd feel bad to have someone else deal with that...

But we need to do it soon b/c we really are at the point where we need some couple time.

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

Our DD has never spent one night away from her own bed besides our family vacation to Disney. We don't vacation without our children either. Just not our thing

Re: is is just me? how often do you leave your child on the weekends

DS has been having sleepovers and my in-laws since about 3 months. I would say about 2'xs a month he sleeps there and we do whatever. I think it's important IMO for my DS to be able to sleepover there and be totally ok with it. I also think it's important for my in-laws to spend time with their grandchild w/o us around all the time. DS loves it, In-laws love it and we love some time by ourselves so we all win!