{"id":21929,"date":"2022-02-11T16:25:14","date_gmt":"2022-02-11T23:25:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/?p=21929"},"modified":"2025-08-10T15:11:54","modified_gmt":"2025-08-10T21:11:54","slug":"guilt-free-momcation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/guilt-free-momcation\/","title":{"rendered":"Why a Momcation is Good for You and Your Family"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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WOMEN’S TRAVEL<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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All the reasons you should leave the guilt behind, with the frozen meals<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Momcation - planning a non-guilty pleasure<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I like to think there’s a momcation for every mom. It can be a solo retreat, a girls’ weekend getaway<\/span><\/a> or a group tour with other women<\/span><\/a>\u00a0somewhere you’ve long dreamed of going.<\/p>

I’ve taken momcations to India, Southeast Asia and Europe. Part of the time was spent on my own, part with friends, or on a guided group tour. The common ingredient was I left my husband and kids at home.\u00a0<\/p>

It is not an exaggeration to say a couple of those trips were life-changing. So I believe it’s worth all of the planning and possible dose of anxiety you may feel just before you leave.<\/p>

I hope some of my experiences will help inspire you to plan a trip, leave the Mom-guilt at home, and embrace the unique and special opportunity of travel without your family.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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My two sons gained independence while I was away on my own<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Modeling Healthy Behavior for Your Children<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Whether you are leaving for a three-week dream trip or a weekend away, you are showing your kids what it looks like when you prioritize yourself. It\u2019s not a bad thing for your children to understand that you have dreams beyond being a mother, and that caring for yourself is important, as well as caring for them. <\/span><\/p>

I also think we set a great example by showing kids that when a dream is important to you, with effort you can make it happen: making dinners for the freezer, planning carpools, hiring a dog walker. I think there’s enormous value in showing our kids that moms are not simply here to support and care for them. We are separate people with our own needs and dreams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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A momcation & a healthy marriage\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In a healthy marriage, there are things that you do with your spouse and things you do separately. There isn\u2019t one right way for this to look; you need to find what works for the two of you. Some couples wouldn\u2019t dream of traveling without each other. That\u2019s fine. Perhaps they create space for themselves in other ways.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

But if you like the idea of traveling without your family, it will require you to be honest about that, even if it means making your partner uncomfortable. I had to have some uncomfortable conversations around this topic with my husband Sean, when I first realized I crazed adventure on my own.\u00a0 Ultimately it made our marriage better. <\/span>I was happier and it was easier to have more open conversations about other things. You can read more about that in Differentiation in a Midlife Marriage.<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>

Besides, doesn’t absence makes the heart grow fonder? I like the experience of missing my husband while I am away. We’ve been married 25 years and rarely get the chance to miss each other. Being away reminds me just how much I enjoy his company and chatting while we have coffee together in the mornings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Happily together again, shortly after my 3-week trip to India in 2017.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It creates independence in your family<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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When you share with your children about your trip, be ready to patiently answer all of their questions and concerns. Depending on their ages, they might be concerned about things that hadn’t even occurred to you. Who will pack my lunch?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

I went to India for three weeks in 2017, when my sons were 14 and 17, and I came home to more independent children; the younger one learned how to cook and take the bus. If the rest of that trip had been a bust, it would have been worth it, for that alone. <\/span><\/p>

We all matured in those three weeks and I realized I had been doing more for them than was necessary. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Luang Prabang, Laos<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Take a momcation when you have the chance<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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We will all have times in our life when we have to put our dreams on hold, such as the need to care for someone else, a child, a parent, or a spouse. <\/span><\/p>

When my son was sick with an undiagnosed illness in 2011, my needs took a backseat for months while I cared for him, sought answers and treatment. Thankfully, he recovered and life returned to normal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Then, in 2016, I suddenly couldn\u2019t walk around the block and learned I had a degenerative condition in my hip and needed a total hip replacement. I spent months with limited mobility until I had surgery. After that, I spent months recovering. I was not going anywhere during that period and dreamed of all of the places I would visit when I finally could.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Those experiences taught me a valuable lesson \u2014 when an opportunity to travel presents itself, and my family and I are sufficiently healthy, I jump at the chance and ENJOY EVERY. SECOND.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>

I have no idea what next month or next year holds, for me, or the people I love. None of us do. We can plan for the future but there are no guarantees in life. <\/span><\/p>

I took a special trip to Southeast Asia in the fall of 2019, just a few months before the pandemic hit (I am in Laos in the main photo of this story, and just above). You can imagine how grateful I am that I jumped at that chance.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Susan in Jaipur India... without her family<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Travel can be life changing for women<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The other reasons not to feel guilty are entirely about you!\u00a0 A momcation can, at minimum, make you feel rested and rejuvenated. And it could change your life. Travel has enormous benefits for women; we spend so much of our lives focused on doing things for others. Travel allows us to put all of that attention on ourselves. It is inspiring, it can build confidence, it can introduce us to new interests. It can kickstart change.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

I also find that distance from my family give me perspective on my life that is harder to find when I am immersed in my daily routine. <\/span>It reminds me how it feels to be Susan, not mom, wife or dog walker. Travel can show us new things about ourselves, or remind us of things we’ve forgotten. It can inspire us to dream new dreams and help us see new possibilities for ourselves. And those are the most important reasons of all.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

If you’ve taken vacations without your family, please share any tips you have, in the comments below!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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More to Explore - Momcation Inspiration<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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If you are considering a Momcation, you might find some inspiration in Group Trips for Women<\/a><\/span>. All of these tours depart this year, including the trip I took to India when I left my family behind for almost three weeks! It was one of my most incredible travel experiences. These group tours could work whether you are planning a vacation with companions or are an independent traveler. This article will help you consider What to Look for in a Group Tour.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>

Sometimes a shorter getaway is more manageable. This Guide to Girls Weekend Getaways in the U.S.<\/span><\/a> has ideas for travelers of all types.<\/p>

And if your idea of a dream trip without the family happens to be the same as mine, I’ve written A Solo Trip to Paris – Complete Guide<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

Happy Travels!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Subscribe<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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