Vacation Without the Kids: 4 Things Parents Can Do to Ease Their Minds by Samantha Martin

That first "no-kids" trip is hard. My husband and I took ours when my first was 18 months old. Leaving my baby for four days made me so nervous. Here are a few things you can do to ease your mind and actually enjoy your vacation a little more:

• Over prepare your caregiver. Give them any and everything you'd think they need. If they are staying at your house, leave a list of where everything is they could need.

• Ask your caregivers to try their best to keep your kids on their schedules. Babies and kids need routine so write down what the sleep time and meal times are.

• But also try not to worry about your sitters doing things differently. Maybe your kid is going to have more sugar than usual, maybe they will skip a nap. As long as they are happy and cared for, try to let it go.

• Set up a will. It's a conversation almost every set of parents has when they are both sitting on an airplane without their kids. Who would care for the kids if something happened? It's an awful thought and a hard decision, but choosing guardians and setting up a will can ease your mind and is better than a judge making that decision, which is what will happen if a will is not in place.

Enjoy your vacation, Mom and Dad!