| Mountains or the beach? Vegas or Disney? Manhattan | | | | goofball PD and they had all those kids! So no, thank |
| Island or Manhattan Kansas? Where to go this year, | | | | you very much, she's not going to the reunion. |
| and who got their way last year, and how do we | | | | Separate vacations? Why not? |
| resolve the vacation destination riddle? Is there a | | | | This is the year all your sisters are getting together on |
| married couple who hasn't had this discussion? Likely | | | | the Oregon coast, and your mate isn't even |
| there isn't, and the answer, though somewhat puzzling, | | | | invited--girls only. Separate trips are in order. |
| and perhaps a bit controversial, may be separate | | | | Your daughter has an audition at Juilliard, and only one |
| vacations altogether. It's happening with increasing | | | | of you can go because the other has a critical |
| frequency, particularly with two career families, and | | | | business deal. Take your daughter to New York and |
| so-called working vacations. | | | | enjoy the place for three or four days? Why not? |
| The practice is gaining in popularity, and for several | | | | You have vacation time that you'll lose if you don't |
| reasons. Some of them have to do with time, of | | | | take it, and your spouse can't go? Why not take off, |
| course, some with money, some revolve around kid | | | | catch some of the sights he or she doesn't care to, |
| care and some with a combination of all the above. | | | | and bring them back a nice gift? |
| Let's explore a few of the reasons, advantages, | | | | Maybe your job title is changing, and the boss requires |
| disadvantages and considerations for taking a vacation | | | | some updated training that can only be found in |
| alone, leaving your mate behind, or on their own | | | | Monterey, or New Orleans, or Martha's Vineyard. Hey, |
| separate trip. | | | | we can all dream of things like this can't we? The |
| You've been dying to see wine country, and the | | | | training is two weeks of intense, eight to five indoor, |
| offerings of Napa Valley, the B&Bs, the lush, | | | | hands-on work, and your mate has their own work, |
| verdant landscapes in and around fabled northern | | | | so--separate vacations? Why not? |
| California towns. Your mate? Forget it. No interest. If | | | | Finally, perhaps you just want some time alone. Maybe |
| there's not a baseball game, or an outlet mall nearby, | | | | the kids have worn you down, a life change has left |
| they're really not interested in going. Besides, wine | | | | you questioning a lot of things, or a certain birthday |
| gives them a headache--not good for a vacation with | | | | looms and you'd like to meditate on it, free of the need |
| your spouse, and cheese gives them gas, ahem, not | | | | to interact, even with your mate. We all need this from |
| good either. | | | | time to time, and they'll understand. Go ahead; get |
| They, on the other hand have been itching to get to | | | | away; you'll feel better, and that may be a welcome |
| the new Camden Yards to see the Orioles play, | | | | relief for both of you. |
| hopefully the Yankees, then to catch a harborside | | | | It's happening a lot more, for a lot more reasons. |
| dinner of crabs and all the seafood fixings, then take in | | | | Separate vacations for married folks are less rare all |
| Fort McHenry and revel in all the history there. Your | | | | the time. Even certain resorts are beginning to cater to |
| mate? Baseball gives them a headache, history is | | | | the single-married set. The practice can be more |
| boring, and crabs give them gas, but well, there's hope | | | | restful and refreshing than any trip together just |
| for both of you. These are just a few of the dilemmas | | | | because it's the norm, the way you've always done it. |
| we face when it comes time to select a vacation | | | | As Tara Fass, a therapist in Los Angeles says: "Going |
| spot. Here are a few more, including some legitimate | | | | away on your own gives you and your partner the |
| reasons to vacation by yourself. | | | | experience of autonomy, and also allows you to |
| It's been thirty years since High School graduation, and | | | | reflect on your marriage." |
| you'd really like to reconnect with the old crowd. You | | | | One thing to consider, though, as the experts all agree, |
| want to see if BT really started that bowling alley, or if | | | | separate vacations should not take the place of |
| JS really did marry that goofball PD and they had | | | | shared vacations with one another. It's important that |
| seven kids! | | | | you save time and money for both at some point. It's |
| Your mate never even knew BT, only from scurrilous | | | | also very important to understand why you want to |
| rumors of what he did as a pinspotter, and she'd been | | | | travel separately. If there's a challenge in your |
| nuts about JS, and couldn't believe he ran off with that | | | | marriage, it may not be the best time to go it alone. |