Slaed and I had the pleasure of enjoying a kid-free trip to Chicago earlier this month! While we obviously travel quite a bit with the kids, this trip to the windy city was our first parents getaway in over 2.5 years.  We traveled to Puerto Rico when I was newly pregnant with Georgia, and learned a lot about the importance of getting away, but this time was a little different.

Bergen stayed with my mom at her home in South Carolina for that particular trip.  For this getaway, we flew my mom out to Seattle and she stayed with the kids at our house.  She was so kind, gracious, generous, and brave to take on life with our little rascals (5 years and 1.5 years), and we are so thankful!

We did a lot to get ready for this parents getaway, so as we reflect back, I thought I’d share how we prepared my mom (as best we could) for the task!

Preparing Grandparents to Care for Kids

Consider length of trip.

By all means, do what you feel most comfortable with, but before planning your amazing getaway, consider the amount of time you’ll be gone.  Ages of children, responsibilities, and temperament (among other things) all play a factor in how long is reasonable.  Looking back, we probably should have shorten our away time just a bit.  Even just a matter of hours, arriving back home in the morning or early afternoon as opposed to the evening for example, can make a huge difference!

Draft a Schedule.

You might feel like an anal freak (I did!), but writing out a schedule for each of the days you’ll be gone is extremely helpful for a grandparent or caregiver.  Especially if the caregiver lives out of town, and isn’t used the day to day business of your life.  A schedule will be important for maintaining routines.  I wrote the schedule out by hand, but next time (thanks mom for the suggestion), I plan to use the computer to keep things more organized and concise.   A few things you might consider including:

• directions to school
• sample day
• emergency contact numbers
• doctor information
• friends who live close-by who can help
• approximate/usual nap/bedtimes and routines

Have freezer or prepped meals on hand.

You want to make meal time as easy as possible! I prepared two dinners ahead of time (burritos & homemade macaroni and cheese), so that my mom could just pop them in the oven, and not worry about a lot of prep and hassle.  Even though we were gone for 3 nights, I knew there would be leftovers!  In our archives, you can also find a delicious chicken pot pie that can be made ahead, and this easy lasagna from Iowa Girl Eats is also a family favorite. Also stock the fridge and freezer with grab and go items like yogurt, waffles, english muffins, fruit, and deli items.

Plan outfits.

Another thing that might seem like overkill, but it’s just one last decision that needs to be made in the morning! It was especially necessary for us since Bergen attends forest school, which requires a strategic dressing routine!

Build-in Relief.

Taking care of kids is tiring and demanding as you well know! Since my mom was solo, I wanted her to have some options for a break if need be.  We added an extra morning of school for Bergen, and made sure that she could bring the kids to the childcare center for an hour at our local YMCA.  We also equipped her with movies and our kindle tablet for quick breathers!

Shop with the Caregiver.

Before I left town, my mom and I took a special shopping trip to Trader Joe’s.  We picked out special treats for the kids, and I made sure that she had everything on hand that she is used to having at home.  It’s a nice way of making your caregiver feel special, and prepared for the days ahead!

Day in the Life.

If possible, especially if grandparents or caregivers are from out of town, plan one full day where you can step through the entire day’s routine in real time. We were able to practice school drop-off and pick-up routines, meals, naps, and bedtime, which meant it all went more smoothly when we were actually away.  It also gave my mom a chance to ask questions. She thought of a lot of things I didn’t include in my notes!

When’s the last time you had a parents-only getaway? What would you add to our list to prepare caregivers?

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