wombat7

I agree dmlove, I thought the traffic fatalities seemed a little wacky

wombat7

Should have googled then posted!

According to theNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration 43,443 were "killed on hte highways" in 2005

dmlove

Well, that's a pretty high number, too!

LJ

Dear Thereadbaron: what your friend/hostess/family member was really saying when she asked her question tanslates as:
"I am jealous as heck that you are getting to go on this trip and I am mean-spirited enough that I would like to spoil it just a little bit"

To which the appropriate response is always: " Well, you little, meaney, I am not going to let you" or, in polite company, "What an interesting question..." and a polite turning away to refresh your beverage.

We traveled a great deal for both business and pleasure when my daughter (now 25 and just fine...) was small. While it is simple common sense and responsible to have a will and clear guardianship arrangements in place for any eventuality, to NOT travel together is just plain silly.

BTW, I love your 'name'!

quokka

Statistically, most people die in bed. That's the most dangerous place. What conclusions shall we draw from this? ;-)

[/nonsense modus off]

Enjoy your holiday, and enjoy it together - without paranoia. Sorry, that person's ideas can't be taken seriously. Have a wonderful trip.

jewela

Go, and enjoy.....

The only thing I would suggest is that you obtain a power of attorney authorizing your childs caregiver authority to act in your absence in case of an emergency. Having sent my son home(to the states)from Europe many times to bond with relatives when he was young,(and accident prone), it gave me some peace of mind that he could be taken care of in an emergency.......

goddesstogo

Ach! This reminds me of my SIL who wouldn't let her kids play outside alone in my backyard at ages 9 and 11 but who regularly plunks them into the car to go shopping in Buffalo, a two-hour trip each way.

Which do you think is more likely:

a) that someone will come into my middle-class neighbourhood backyard on a sunny Sunday afternoon and snatch her 9 and 11 year old kids.

or

b) that there might be a terrible car accident sometime during an unnecessary 4 hour drive on a major highway?

People can be so simple-minded about risks -- they never go beyond their first thought to question it.

Go, enjoy, have a wonderful time. And first class! I'm jealous!

CarolA

Tell the busybodies that if it was good enough for Princess Di, Prince Charles and the Heir it works for you!

wasleys

The family CarolA refers to was pretty dysfunctional and may not be an example it would be wise to emulate.

The safety issue that's been raised wouldn't worry me, but parenting issues might.

On reading this thread I found myself wondering if I would have been willing to leave our daughter when she was 15 months old so my wife and I could go on a week's jolly. The answer was no.

I asked my wife the same hypothetical question. Her response did not surprise me: "I wouldn't even consider it".

Seems like our attitudes are at odds with those of others in this thread.

girlonthego

Go together first class and enjoy!!!
I would recommend an up to date will left with grandma and a letter stating she has full guardianship while you are away for medical decisions.
Other than that, enjoy your trip and don't worry. While you are gone, you will think and talk about your baby, but you will come home more relaxed and ready to enjoy him even more!

twoflower

Loved your comment, Padraig ....yours too, Wombat7

november_moon

It also could be that this person isn't well-travelled and imagines that the dangers of travelling are greater than they actually are.

My mother-in-law hasn't really travelled anywhere, and when my husband and I are gone, she frets over our safety. She doesn't worry unnecesarily over our safety in our everyday lives, or even when we take the 5 hour drive to see my dad (drive at 80mph up I-5), but we leave the country and she doesn't sleep well until we return.

suze

You could have told her you & your husband prefer to go down together. That would have shut her up.

LoveItaly

Thereadbaron, not the same I know but after my dear husband died suddenly some months later I was preparing to fly to Italy as several Italian friends had invited me to do so. My mother, always the one to be the downer, advised me to not wear my watch, my earrings or any ring as since I would be flying by myself "someone" could and probably would cut off my hand for the watch, my finger(s) for the rings(s) or my ears for the earrings. I always wondered how in the heck she thought this person would escape while on an international flight, lol.

Anyway, just one stupid and silly story to share with you. Yes, do have all legal papers in order which you two should have already taken care of whether or not you take a trip or not. And go and enjoy your 10th wedding anniversary. Your precious son will no doubt be spoiled rotten by his grandmother and how wonderful grandmother will have the nanny to help out.

karens

I wouldn't fly on a separate flight from my husband.

People say catty stuff when they are jealous.

When I was preparing to go to Italy by myself on a group tour and leaving my kids home with my husband, I had a woman tell me, Oh *I* could never leave my kids and go overseas. As if I was Horrible Mother of the Year.

thereadbaron, my husband and I have been on at least a dozen trips without my kids over the years (oldest is now 15), and truthfully, I am never comfortable about leaving them. It gets easier as they get older, but never worry free. So I totally understand your concerns and worries. But I wouldn't worry about being on the same flight as your husband!

My husband's company has an annual award trip, and one couple used to fly separately. They were the only ones that did,and they did this for about 3 years. I noticed that this year, they did fly together. It was a hassle for them to try to coordinate arrival times and one trip her flight was signficantly delayed out of a PHL connection.

Robespierre

<i>According to theNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration 43,443 were &quot;killed on hte highways&quot; in 2005</i>

I wonder how many of those were people that seat belts would have saved.

Or drunks.

Or inexperienced.

Or high on pain-killers.

Or fatigued.

Or suicides.

Or distracted by cell phones and iPods.

See, not <u>everyone</u>'s odds of dying in a vehicle are the same. The ones who take stupid risks die far, far more often than the prudent.

kelliebellie

Make sure you have a will that is notarized and completely spells out who will have custody of your child if something terrible were to happen.

Flying separate flights is silly. We've been to Europe twice now with out the babies and were very glad of it.

I think the person that asked you that is just showing her ignorance. You are letting your guilt about leaving your child for a week get to you. But a child is only as happy as its parents, and mama and dada need some ROMANTIC TIME ALONE!!!

Have fun, buy the kid cute t-shirts, and relax.

Sally30

I think you've received enough responses to the plane part of your question. As for leaving your son, he will have a blast without you. Maybe the first day will be hard but after that he will be thrilled to have a new audience. My husband and I left our daughter a few months ago with my parents for a week when she was 16 months old. Despite my parents' insistence that she had a great time, I was sure nothing could be as fun as being with mommy. Then they showed me a video of her jumping up and down on their big king size bed, while watching curious george and hooting and laughing and I had to admit she never looked so happy!!

LoveItaly

Sally, your post reminds me of the time we left my daughter with my favorite aunt and uncle for several days. She was under two years of age. I felt so guilty as I just knew she would be lonely and miss me so much. HA! They took photos and honestly I was almost insulted regarding all the darling happy laughing photos they gave me of our daughter, lol.

Padraig

Robespierre wrote: &quot;The ones who take stupid risks die far, far more often than the prudent.&quot;

No, they don't. They die once, just like everybody else.