How often do you get a break?

I realize everyone has different situations. But out of curiosity, how often does someone (your parents, DH parents, etc.) take your child(ren) for the day? Overnight??

DH and I were just discussing. My parents have never taken DD (who is 15 months) for a day or overnight. My Mom has watched her a few times so I could go to the doctor or something, but never for some 'time off'. MIL & FIL have taken DD a handful of times.

How often do you get a break?

No one has watched DD overnight yet. My mom will watch her if DH & I go out at night (but it's at our house and she'll put DD to bed). Other than that, my parents will watch her if I have to run to the doctor or go to the gym or if something else comes up. But they've never taken her for a full day either. No time off here! lol

Re: How often do you get a break?

Well, MIL watches her on days that we both work (our work days overlap 1-3 days per week) so we are hesitant to ask for any additional help from her. My parents will/have watched her if we want a night out. No one has watched her overnight yet.

It's not that frequent that we will have a night out. It is not that often that DH is off both weekend days, and he puts in for overtime a lot, so it's hard to plan stuff.

Re: How often do you get a break?

Every 4-6 weeks, we do an overnight. In the summer it is more often because our parents are off more. I also leave DS with my parents to do things like go to appointments, get my nails done, etc. I don't know if this is typical or not, but I am very appreciative of the time "off". If it was up to them, it would be even more!! But since I'm a FTWM (Sept-June) I am protective of my time with him when I can get it.

Re: How often do you get a break?

For a break-not often really. I mean, once in a blue moon DH and I will go to the movies or something and either the parents watch or we get a sitter (we go late so 1-2 of them are sleeping anyway).

They've watched overnight 2 times for weddings (that's over 5 years).

My mom will watch the kids when I have a conference call for work on one of my days off.

Re: How often do you get a break?

never really.....one overnight back when my dd #1 was about 4 months old (she's almost 4 now).....once in a blue moon we go to a wedding or a family event but thats about it....parents are not retired so i feel bad asking to watch my kids and that ends up taking away one of their nights out of their weekend to relax and honestly they are the only ones that i trust to watch my kids along with dh's sister other than that I'm not into using "babysitters"

Re: How often do you get a break?

DS is 23 months old and we've never left him for an overnight. Honestly, since he was born I'd say we've only had a sitter about five or six times. We definitely don't get out enough.

Re: How often do you get a break?

Never. I mean, if we have an event or something to go to, they always babysit. And a handful of times, they have babysat so my husband and I could have a date night. Neither of my kids have ever stayed overnight with someone else. I can't imagine having someone else watch my kids so I can take a break from them.

Re: How often do you get a break?

DS will be 5 years old in a few weeks and DD will be 3 in a couple of months. DH and I have had one over night away together without the kids and my parents were late so we ended up away for less than 24 hours.

Re: How often do you get a break?

Very very rarely.

Re: How often do you get a break?

Message edited 7/7/2012 11:23:25 PM.

Re: How often do you get a break?

Only about 6 times has DS stayed with my Mom or brother overnight. He is 2.5 years old. Once was when I got stuck in NJ after a concert (car broke down), once was for a funeral, and the rest were for when I was too sick to care for him. I RARELY get a break and my Mom and brother live with me now.. I don't do anything anymore... I have stopped my side work (photographer), I don't go out to eat with friends, I don't get a break unless I am doing something for someone else...

Re: How often do you get a break?

Never. DH and I live in Chicago. My family is all in NY..so obviously they can never watch the baby. Most of DH's family is here, but out of all the people we'd trust enough to let watch DD (2 people lol), they never offered and we wouldn't ask.

No breaks for us.

Message edited 7/8/2012 3:41:33 PM.

Re: How often do you get a break?

During the day- never. I am a SAHM (DS is 14 months), and whatever I do, he comes with me. He has been with me to doctor's appointments, food shopping, meeting a friend for lunch, etc. At night- we are very lucky and get 3-4 nights out a month. As a matter of fact, we were out tonight with friends. However, we have never left DS overnight. I haven't been ready yet but he will stay with my parents overnight next month when DH and I go to a friends wedding out of state.

How often do you get a break?

From our parents rarely. His dad and gf has never offered except for if we are visiting and we put her to bed while hey are sleeping. We will go out for. A drink. My mom babysits most times whne we have some thing to do but I have to plan ahead as my sisters and their kids take up most of my parents time.
Dd is 2. We now live in Boston so we a re far from everyone so we got a babysitter. Best thing we have done the past year. We Ty to go out every other week sometimes every week. We were missing our time. This has helped is reconnect and refreshes me. I am a sahm so I rarely get a break but this has helped tremendously. We leave hr awake now and they are both great about it.

How often do you get a break?

Wanted to add when my parents babysit I do leave her I ernight b/c most times it's just to late to pick her up. But they are far and few inbwtween but I ha e no problems leaving her overnight. In fact I would love together away for a few days but dh s not ready

Re: How often do you get a break?

ha i wish we got a break!!!! We only have my inlaws and they NEVER offer to take the boys overnight. They never offered when there was only 1. In 4 years, they've had my 1 son maybe 3 times overnight (when we had a wedding or something) but we always had to be there at 7am to pick him up.

It s u c k s big time! My nephew on the other hand, they take all the time. My son sleeps through the night, goes to bed by 8, still takes a 2-3 hour nap and is so easy as a toddler. My nephew still gets up at night, wakes at 5:30am, stays up later at night, doesn't nap and has way more energy. Go figure!!!!

Re: How often do you get a break?

Never. If we an event like a wedding or something we have a babysitter watch the kids. Nobody has ever stayed with the kids overnight so we can get a break. I am honestly not ready for it myself

Re: How often do you get a break?

The only family I have locally is my brother and his wife. They are wonderful and help as needed or as often as the volunteer.

My brother works odd hours so if I need him during the day, he can come over and relieve me for an hour or so. We probably ask them once a month to babysit so DH and I can go to dinner. They have had both of my children sleep over once (that was so nice!).

DH does his fair share. On weekends, we make sure that we both get some time to do something on our own....for me, even if it's getting to the store or the gym then I am happy. DH runs or will go hit a bucket of balls. If I want to do something with friends , like go out for dinner, DH takes care of the kids, no problem.

Re: How often do you get a break?

Very rarely!! Dd is only 9 1/2 months old but we never really go out between me being tired from being pregnant again and even before that we pour all of our money into fixing up the house so very rarely do we go out. Makes me sad when I stopped to think about it

Re: How often do you get a break?

The only time I have left dd1 over night was when I had my second and stayed 2 days in the hospital for my c-section. I only will let my mom watch my girls. My dh watched our girls for the first time by himself while I got a haircut this weekend. Its the first time since number 2 was born that I've been out without them.

My mom will watch the girls whenever we ask but I feel bad since she works so much. We go out for dinner every 4-6 weeks. I'm never gone more than 3 hours. However we are going to ST Lucia for my bil wedding in march for 4 days and we are leaving the kids with my mom. I'm already feeling nervous, sad and guilty for leaving them.

Re: How often do you get a break?

I love spending time with my granddaughter. We live 5 min. Away, so I'm there pretty much every day, all day. My daughter runs errands etc. we have lunch together. Go out for lunch, to the park etc. she has spent at least 6 overnights here. Sometimes il. Be there during the day, come home for dinner then go back if they're going out. She's 20 mos. I just can't get enough of her! Some people might say I'm addicted!

Re: How often do you get a break?

Re: How often do you get a break?

Never. We live out of state, no family. We do have a good friend who watches DD 2 days a week, and we've left her there a couple times overnight. But, sometimes just to get a break and have "me" time, I will use a vacation day or personal day at work while DD is in daycare, and pick her up at normal time.

How often do you get a break?

Never!