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I have left for a few days or up to a week -- usually for business trips or conventions. I don't think I've ever left for a vacation, but that's not to say I wouldn't if I had the $$ and opportunity (usually it's the $$ that's in the way). 3 weeks feels like a really long time to leave a child, especially a young child. Some of my siblings/sib-in-laws have gone on "girls' weeks" away from kids for up to a week. Don't know anyone who has left for 3 weeks.
I know several parents who leave for that long due to business. I also know quite a few men and women who leave for up to 18 months or so to serve our country.
More to the point, if I had been in a position to leave a child of that age for three weeks it certainly would not be with strangers, and probably not with family. No matter how you explain it to a 5YO, after a couple of nights they will become hysterical.
anecdotal, but i have never met a parent who would leave their 5 year old to vacation for 3 weeks, let alone with another family and not members of their own family. Most parents i know get twitchy after being away from the kids for a few days and they're only gone for up to a week.
More to the point, if I had been in a position to leave a child of that age for three weeks it certainly would not be with strangers, and probably not with family. No matter how you explain it to a 5YO, after a couple of nights they will become hysterical.
Um, no. No they won't. Unless they have some sort of issue, most 5-year-olds aren't that dramatic. Or unintelligent.
We've only vacationed away from our kids one time. They were older than five and we were only gone five days.
I wouldn't feel comfortable being gone for three weeks to vacation. If it was for work or something, I'd do what I have to do, but it would be because I was looking out for the needs of the family. IMO, going on vacation for three weeks and leaving the child with another family so you can vacation and party is irresponsible. Parents need breaks. There are better ways to do it.
My wife and I do weekends away all the time for special occasions. Our birthdays (same week), or anniversary. That's usually the only "break" we get from our kids.
3 weeks away from a 5-year old to go party in Europe? That seems a little irresponsible, but i'll give her the benefit of the doubt that it's been a difficult time being a single mom and she really needs the break.
I know several parents who leave for that long due to business. I also know quite a few men and women who leave for up to 18 months or so to serve our country.
My husband has traveled for up to two weeks at a time for work, but the kids were with me. And both of us have traveled alone for pleasure. We have taken a couple of weekend trips, too. But we leave the kids with family or friends that they know well and have spent time at their home before. If the mom was leaving the child with his other parent or another close family member, it wouldn’t seem as odd (though I do still think three weeks is excessive for a five-year-old unless he’s used to spending a week at a time with Dad/grandma/auntie).
As long as the other family has agreed and the child is comfortable, though, then the mom is not acting irresponsibly. It’s just not something I (or most parents, I think) would be comfortable with.
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