5 reasons why NOT to take a toddler on a romantic weekend getaway

Who brings a toddler along to a romantic weekend getaway to celebrate a 10 year wedding anniversary in New York City?  Apparently we do.

One of the pitfalls of being an expat with young children, you don’t have family around to dump them on for a long weekend. Yes, there were some friends who begrudgingly offered to take our 2-year-old for a few nights, but we weren’t willing to inflict that on anyone.

But after a long weekend in NYC, I feel as though I can speak with a newfound level of authority, it might be worth risking a friendship by leaving your child with them for an extended sleepover.

The top 5 reasons why NOT to take your toddler on a romantic weekend getaway:

1. Being forced to get up at the crack of dawn to provide breakfast to a toddler who is slapping you in the head yelling, “Wake up Mummy. Wake up!”
2. A ‘relaxing’ three course meal is navigated around figurines, crayons, pepper, salt and sugar sachets sprawled across the table and floor.
3. Shopping on Fifth Avenue is spent in the Lego and American Girl stores (now that’s a whole other blog post in itself).
4. Being forced to hide out in the hotel bathroom at 8.30 p.m. so you don’t wake the sleepy child sprawled out across the king size bed.
5. A romantic kissing photo taken of the two of you at sunset on top of the Empire State Building features a grumpy toddler squashed between you because she insisted on being held.

Admittedly there were things that might make you consider, just fleetingly though, about bringing a toddler along:

1. Guilt free afternoon siestas that lasted a few hours.
2. Your child’s cuteness prompts Indian restaurants to give you free dessert.
3. Using nap times and the cold weather to get super early check-ins and late check-outs at no extra charge.
4. Excuse to shop at the Lego and American Girl store while indulging in a huge pretzel from a street vendor.
5. Getting to jump up and down about how cool it was to bear hug a life size Elmo and Cookie Monster.

After much weighing up these pros and cons, I think next time we won’t be so polite in knocking back a friends offer to babysit.