Last year, we hosted our very first BMWK Marriage Cruise. And what I realized from talking to the couples that joined us, is that for most of them, it was their very first vacation away from the kids in a lonnnnnnng time. And some of them had never been on a couples-only vacation since having the kids. And it’s understandable. Money is tight and getting child care is difficult (especially if you have more than 2 kids.)
Money is tight and getting childcare is difficult…
A lot of people are faced with having only one vacation a year. And if that is your reality, are you going to take a couples-only vacation or family vacation. Most couples choose the latter.
When your only vacation all year round is a family vacation, how do you make sure that you get a few moments of alone time with your spouse?
This is exactly the scenario that Lamar and I are faced with year in and year out. But we think we’ve cracked the code. Over the last couple of years, we’ve been able to take family vacations that keep the kids happy, but also allow us to enjoy some alone time together. Here are a few things that we’ve done:
Ninja Tip #1: Take a cruise or stay at a resort.
Most cruises and resorts have kid’s clubs that allow you to check-in your kids for a few hours while you go off and have some fun. And that is exactly what we do! We check them in…and we go on our merry way. And sometime’s that might be right back to the hotel room (wink.)
Ninja Tip #2: Invite a grandparent to vacation with you.
Lamar’s mom has taken countless vacations with us. And many times, she will get a separate room for her and the kids so that Lamar and I can enjoy some alone time in the evenings. We enjoy the kids during the day and each other in the evenings…win-win!
Ninja Tip #3: Book a hotel suite.
We can’t go on cruises or to all-inclusive resorts for every vacation. Sometimes, we head out to a vacation spot that is within driving distance and we book a hotel suite for a few days. Hotel suites are AWESOME!!! They’re affordable, they’re spacious, they have kitchens, they allow you to get privacy, and they have more than one TV….need I say more?
Last summer, we used all 3 of the above vacation ninja techniques when went on our BMWK Marriage Cruise (yes we took our kids on the marriage cruise….don’t ask why.)
Our mother-in-law was more than happy to go on a 5 night/6 day cruise with us. In fact, she and the girls had their own cabin and Lamar and I had a cabin all to ourselves.
We used Embassy Suites in Fort Lauderdale, FL as the host hotel, not only for us, but for all of the couples cruising with us. We all arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida excited about the upcoming cruise. And staying at the Embassy Suites was the perfect way to kickoff a nice vacation.
The night before we set sail, many of the couples met at the complimentary” happy hour ” reception that Embassy Suites offers to all guests of the hotel.On the morning that we left for the cruise, we even had free breakfast (and I’m not talking about cereal…it was a full hot breakfast.)
And I just found out that Hilton has made things even easier for groups by creating an awesome personalized group web page, where everyone attending a family reunion or large event can seamlessly book rooms at a special group rate, while sharing details, such as check-in/out dates, directions and event schedules. Isn’t that awesome!! I’m definitely going to use that next time.
Finally, we had a ball on the cruise. The kids did their thing with kid’s club and Lamar and I were able to focus on the couples that we brought with us. It was a win-win for the entire family.
“African-American families can count on Embassy Suites Hotels and Homewood Suites by Hilton to help simplify the planning process, and provide spacious two-room suites, free hot breakfast, complimentary evening reception, full kitchens and other amenities that are sure to delight families,” said Mary Beth Parks, senior vice president, global marketing, Hilton Worldwide. “With ‘Count On It,’ families can focus on being together, whether in their suite or at a reunion activity.”
BMWK Family – how are you able to get some alone time with your spouse when you are vacationing with your kids.
This post is brought to you by Hilton Worldwide. I have partnered with them to spread the word that Embassy Suites Hotels and Homewood Suites by Hilton are teaming up to offer “Count On It,” a program designed to help make family reunions easy and stress-free for all participants
Love these tips! I was one of the lucky couples that attended the cruise, but unlucky because we didn’t stay at Embassy Suites. Clearly we missed out! Lol This year, we have several short vacations planned and for a couple, we’re planning to take along my mother-in-law so that we can have that time to ourselves.