Can't "leave the kids with a relative or friend"...
 

My husband and I need a vacation! We have a 1 yr old and a 2 1/2 yr old, and yes, they have to come. (I know that some Fodorite out there will probably tell me what a horrible mother I am for thinking of bringing them, and that they should stay home with Grandma, but that's not an option. Believe me, I've tried.) Anyway, the kids are coming. I'm looking for a place where DH and I can relax a little- either by putting the kids in a program or hiring a sitter. I'm looking at the obvious choices- FDR and Beaches- T&C- but neither excites me. FDR seems not to be very nice and Beaches seems overpriced for what it is.

The most important requirement is some kind of childcare. Next would be duration of travel from New Orleans. I know we'll probably have to take two flights, so would prefer not to have to drive more than an hour once we arrive. We'd like to stay at or under $5000 for 5 nights.

I'm not committed to the Caribbean- could be Mexico or even Florida. Please help!

I personally would never say you were a horrible Mother for trying to leave your 'little ones' at home and get away with your DH - Your relationship should the most important one.

You deserve all the help you can get so even though I don't have small children I found this thread for you

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34546145

Matkat stayed at the Sands with toddlers the same ages as yours and later compares T&C to St Croix.

Are you only looking at T&C? If you type'toddler' or 'toddlers' in the search bar you will find you are not alone :-)

Good luck and I hope you all have a wonderful time - please let us know how it goes. As you now know you can help future posters.

I do not know what type of "program" you
can put a 1 year old into. This reminds me
of the time I was working coordinating a conference and the insensitive wife of the director suggested that I put my infant into a "camp". Question to self: what type of camp is there for an infant? Obviously, the woman
was clueless. On to your problem - I think
that for a very young child you might want to arrange for an approved baby sitter for selected times (e,.g. when you and hubby want to have a nice dinner) and then try to
enjoy part of the vacation all together at the beach or wherever. I know from experience
that there is not always a Grandma available
at home, but then you should be realistic and know that the trip is not a "honeymoon"
and will involve childcare responsibilities.
The very young ages of your children is a challenge. I took my daughter on many Caribbean trips, but only after she was at least able to travel/amuse herself as at least
a 5-6 year old.

We always travel with the kids, just our preference. I agree it would be much better for you to hire a sitter when needed. Look into Aqua Marine Beach Houses. From previuos posts they have a wonderful sitter available. Paula is very helpful. They have cribs and highchairs to make your traveling easier. The Houses are on a quiet area of Grace Bay, they have pool and tennis courts on site. Give Paula an email and she will let you know whats available. There rates are reasonable and you'll enjoy the peace the house offers.( aquamarinebeachhouses.com) Our youngest is now 3 so this will be our first vacation in years we will only be traveling with one carseat. Try for a non-stop if possible it will be easier on everyone. Enjoy them now they grow to fast.

It's true that many kids clubs don't allow children under 2 and/or children who are not ye potty trained. Keep that in mind when looking at hotels or resorts that cater to families.

That being said, you could consider renting a private, fully staffed villa and make arrangements with the staff for babysitting ahead of time. Jamaica would be a perfect island for that. Tivertonhouse, a frequent poster here and resident expert on Jamaica, could help you with finding a place. Check out his offering at www.jamaicaescapes.com. With prior arrangments, some of the staff could watch the kids during the day while you and husband are out exploring or just enjoying some sun time together. Or conversely, if you wanted a romantic evening in or out, they could arrange for that, too. What's more, with a cook on staff for you, you could rest assured that there would always be something on hand that your chidlren like to eat, as they are cooking just for you and your family.

Good luck finding a place that's right for you and your family.

With kids that little, I'd probably stay away from any place with a decent chance of intestinal disorders.

We took our 6 month old to Grand Cayman. It was incredibly safe and the food and water were excellent. We stayed at the Turtle Nest Inn which is like an apartment. The maids even washed our bottles for us every day.

They arranged for a babysitter for us while were went to sting ray city. It worked out great.

The inn is a bit far from town (10 to 15 minutes) but lovely.

Personally, I don't know how parents leave their kids behind when they go on vacation (especially when the kids are young). Still, when you are away with them, you won't be able to hand them off. I often travel with my sister and her husband (they have 2 little boys) and we take turns with them so the parents have some time to themselves, but at the same time, there is absolutely no worries about the kids. I know other couples who have done the same thing. I agree with staying some where the healthcare is good (Grand Cayman, or Aruba come to mind).

hi i don't have kids so should probably not even be posting but i must agree with bargainhunter - aqua marine are nice houses in a good location for a family with small (or any) children.
my real comment is that provo is a very small, very safe island. the locals are extremely nice people. in other words i would feel comfortable going out while someone paula sent in watched the kids. i would think she might even be able to find someone young to just hang out with you all for the day sort of like a nanny.
provo has great restaurants. the beach is glorious. generally a Very relaxing place. direct flights from miami, atlanta or ft.lauderdale.

We bring ours about every other trip.

When they were little, a private villa was the best for us, with a cook and bedrooms and living room and all that right there, it was easy to care for the babies but also be in the pool, etc when they slept. Noise was under our control, food (what and when) were under our control, yet we didn't need to cook.

We brought a baby monitor and a portacrib that my kids got used to at a young age...with that and their regular blanket, they felt very at home.

We haven't used childcare though, we bring a family member with us (my mom in law) or go with another family (sis in law) and share responsibilities. My sis in law did use our villa maid for childcare a couple of times and that worked out very well.