Preparing to Travel Without Kids: All the Things Mom Does to Get Away

Jena Muhr discusses tips and tricks to make leaving the kids at home easier while you and your husband travel. 

The daily doing 

I’m never reminded more of all the things that I do each day and week at home, with and for my husband and children, than when I am getting ready to leave for an extended period of time. My kids are a bit older now — my youngest is 4 — so we are a bit past the stage of diaper bags, must-happen nap times and consistent middle of the night wake-ups. We have replaced those with sport practices, tutoring, and homework. These seem to make more stress in the afternoons and evenings, but we’re getting the hang of it with practice and maturity.  

As I write, I am preparing to head overseas to meet my husband who has been attending training in Europe. My parents are staying with our kids for a week. This will be the longest trip my husband and I have taken solo since our honeymoon nearly 13 years ago. It is going to be so much fun seeing new things, eating food that I didn’t cook myself, and spending quality time with my husband. But in preparing to leave I am amazed at how many little things go into each day and the steps that go into making our home run.  

I think that my husband will agree that I am the ruler of our home in terms of managing the kids, kitchen, and calendar for our family. I enjoy doing this, most of the time, and love being a mom. Being there for our kids as often as possible and feeding our family are two roles that I spend most of my time on and a whole lot of brain power on.  

Preparation 

In preparation to leave, I have been preparing charts of where each kid needs to be at what time, how I help the kids do homework, and what the morning routine looks like. I've also been making some preferred foods that will help ease the burden for my parents.   

Here are a few things that I have been doing to, hopefully, help with my family's world keep turning smoothly:  

• Making sure the kitchen is stocked with foods that the kids, and my parents like, all the fruits, vegetables have been stocked and the containers of food items are filled: the Goldfish, oats, crackers, and rice.

• Meal-prepping a few things that will be a good treat (cookies and muffins) or a meal that is almost 100% ready to go stashed in the fridge. 

• Sending in all school forms ahead of time with signatures and money for field trips and fundraisers.  

• Letting teachers know about the change in routine. My kids are still young and I feel that it is important to let their teachers know when there are big changes. This might not be for everyone, but it helps my kids and works for my family. 

• Changing the sheets. Since my parents will be mostly staying at my home, having the sheets fresh and clean towels ready to go is important for everyone to have a restful night.

• Laundry is always being done and doing an extra load here or there leading up to leaving will hopefully make soccer and school uniforms not be a stress point.

• Taking back the library books, picking up the dry cleaning, picking up more dog food, and completing many of the errands that would have to happen if I were home.

• Writing notes for the kids so they have something from us that they can read on different days that we’re gone. 

• Reminding the kids that Nini and Papa might do things a bit differently than mommy and daddy, but that is ok.  

The most important thing 

THE Binder: This binder contains all of the important information such as phone numbers for doctors, therapists, coaches, addresses, and phone numbers. Medical information such as medicines and allergies. The weekly schedule and common routines. The uniform schedule for school and soccer. In essence, all of the little things that run through my brain all day long are in the binder.   

I know that my parents know many of these things, but having all this information in one spot will help me to enjoy the trip and to give them peace of mind. I sure wish the kids came with an instruction manual like this when they were born.  

Getting away with my husband is important to us and we’re fortunate that we’re able to take a trip. Leaving is hard, and a lot of work, but it will be worth it.  

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Copyright 2024 Jena Muhr
Images: Canva