Leaving The Kids

What Kind Of Terrible Person Goes On Holiday Without Her Kids And Doesn’t Miss Them? Me, That’S Who, Writes Kate Sidley.

- Kate Sidley

Some years back, when my best friend had four small children and I had two, we were sitting on a rug in my garden, children toddling around everywhere, and she said wistfully: ‘Let’s go somewhere exotic, without the kids. Not now, obviously, but someday.’

I just laughed, somewhat bitterly, and in disbelief. What was she thinking? It was such an outlandish idea. Here we were with six small children, half of them on boobs and in nappies. We were NEVER going anywhere exotic. Not even anywhere mildly interesting. We would be going to Zoo Lake and the small park with the big slides for The Rest of Our Lives.

And the next thing we knew, in the blink of an eye (OK, five or six years later), we were in India. The six children were at home with their dads, and we were at the flippin’ Taj Mahal. We had worked, and saved, and bought cheap tickets, and made rosters and lift arrangements. And here we were eating spicy dosa for breakfast, thank you very much.