A HOLIDAY WITHOUT CHILDREN - SELFISH OR PERFECT?

I'm not sure if I've mentioned, but we're holidaying without the children later in the year (that is a complete joke, I feel as though I never shut up about it) We are really looking forward to it, quite recently when watching a vlog from the lovely Emily whilst on her family holiday, she said something whilst explaining why her children were in holiday club, that I completely understood 'It's so we can have a little bit of a holiday too'. Don't get me wrong, holidays are a break from the stresses of home life, work, household chores etc, but children are still bloody hard work when abroad and sometimes you need a break when you're on a break.

I'll be pretty open in that I don't feel guilty for heading away without the boys, me and John rarely do anything together without them. We've only both once been away which was for one night, and left the boys in the capable hands of my Nan during that time. We're just heading back to my parents villa in Alicante for four nights and without a doubt I will miss my boys so much, they're like my limbs so it shall take a little adjustment, Patrick isn't the easiest either without me or John around so I'm hoping the clingy-ness starts to reside a little over the next couple of months before we depart or that will definitely make it a little harder. I've already had a few back handed comments, or the regular abuse from my troll on the whole notion of us leaving our boys behind and in some respect I understand peoples views. We've chosen to have children, so why should you really get to 'enjoy a holiday without them'? That is right, and if the option wasn't there for us to leave our sons in the capable and loving hands of their grandparents then we wouldn't, the same way if it was an option of one holiday a year either with or without them, hands down we would select the holiday with them - a million times over. They come first in everything, and that's why we booked our family holiday and this little couples retreat has very much an afterthought, albeit one that I am extremely pleased about. But then there is the flip slide which is a view I'm much more in tune with firstly; it's good for children to spend time with their grandparents or other relatives, it's quality bonding time. Quite often in families there is little traditions such as children going to their grandmas every *insert day* to have tea for example and I think it's so key to a relationship as parents to get some time just the two of you. Nobodies saying it's time to go 50 shades crazy, but sitting in a bar with a couple of cocktails and no worries of children being up to late, or grumpy sounds like bliss to me.

For me when travelling abroad without the children means there is so much I'll be able to do that I most definitely took for granted before; reading a book, taking a nap, having a clutch bag. I know, it sounds crazy but I can't tell you how excited I am to pack a bag that doesn't contain nappies or spare clothes - it's been a long time. Having a small holiday just for the two of us means that when we head away with the boys that I don't have to worry about wanting to catch the sun rays, or getting to explore the town because we have our own separate time later in the year to do just that. I know it wont be everyones cup of tea and there will be people that think it's selfish, which is fine, the world would be dull if we all thought the same way.