Honeymooning with Children

The idea of bringing kids along on a honeymoon may seem a bit untraditional, but it is a modern trend. A sharp rise in the number of divorces and second marriages over the past few decades means that remarriages often involve children. In fact, nearly two-thirds of all remarriages in America come with kids, according to the Stepfamily Association of America.

As a result, engaged individuals are often faced with a difficult dilemma: should they bring family from a previous marriage with them on the honeymoon or leave them at home? There are pros and cons to either scenario. Let us begin with the pros.

Why you should bring the kids
Many children have trouble accepting a new parent or authority figure. They tend to mistakenly believe that this new person is trying to steal their mother or father away from them. And since they may have already lost regular access to one of their parents due to the divorce, they may feel especially vulnerable or protective of the parent they live with.

While it may seem like a simple idea, bringing a child on a honeymoon can go a long way in showing them how important they are and that they should have faith in the new marriage. Enjoying things as a new family is absolutely imperative, especially if the children are young and vulnerable.

If the newlyweds have never taken the children on a trip with them in the past, leaving them out of the first important vacation they take together could be disastrous. No matter how good their intentions, sending the kids to stay at their grandparents' place may make them feel like they are being abandoned or that they are a burden.

Why you should leave them at home
If you want a marriage to work, it must have a sound foundation, and in modern America, much of that base is laid on the honeymoon. Since families where both partners work are the norm in the U.S., adult couples don't get a whole lot of time to spend together. One time that has traditionally been set aside just for them is the honeymoon. Denying a new husband or wife those days together could hurt the marriage at a vital stage.

It is also important to note that children, especially if they're teenagers, are seldom interested in going on a honeymoon with their parent and new step-parent. For some strange reason, it doesn't rank high on their list of things they want to do before they move out. In short, newlyweds should never pressure their kids to come with them if they express absolutely no interest in doing so. This could and often is perceived as forcing the child to accept the new step-parent, which rarely if ever works.

Our Verdict
The younger the children, the more likely they are to enjoy a honeymoon with the happy couple. Therefore, we recommend a vacation at a kid-friendly resort like Disney World. How many kids could pass up a trip to Disney World? Even better, the Magic Kingdom has changed quite a bit over the past few years. The resort now offers countless activities and events just for newlyweds. Believe it or not, it is one of the most popular destinations for American newlyweds. But don't tell the kids!