who feels like they are missing out on something sometimes because they don't get to go out--with friends, on a date, to a bar---because they have kids?  i'm so jealous of women my age who get to go out.  now we're going to have 4 kids, who's gonna watch all of them when we go out somewhere.  right now, we only leave our kids with my mom, MIL, and if they're not going out, a couple of select friends.  My BIL and SIL go out all the time, every weekend, sometimes for the whole weekend and they pawn their DD off on anyone who'll take her.  It's really sad, I don't want to be that kind of parent, but it sure would be nice to get out with adults every now and then! 

We are the same way.  We only ask my mom and MIL to watch the kids when we need to get out.  Both live about 4 hours away so obviously we don't get out a lot.  We are going to see Les Mis next weekend so my in laws are going to watch the kids all day.  Meanwhile I've never left all three with anyone yet so I am totally NOT going to enjoy myself.  I will be worrying the whole time that the baby needs me for something.  UGH.  I wish I didn't even buy the tickets.

so to kinda answer the question...LOL...I know what you mean, but I am my own worst enemy when it comes to this stuff.  I just can't enjoy myself when I go out.  I am going to try really,really hard to because I really can't wait to see the show.  I just wish it didn't take 2 hours to get there!

Well being military we have no family around and it is even hard to find friends, bc by the time you know them well you are moving on!!  We do have some good friends that we have know all our career here with us, so they watched the kids so we could go to a ball.  We will prob. do the same kind of thing for our anniversary on the 21st.  It sucks but that is one reason why we had kids young bc Im not into bars and stuff.  But we would like to go to dinner and a movie every once in a while!!

I have not gone out with my friends for over a year now. I never want to leave my kids with a sitter. The only time I will go out with my friends is when the male dancers are in town. Its easy to get 10-15 women to go out with you and watch some half naked men :) LOL!!!!!!!

Here's my thought on going out....you have to go out, you neeeeeed to go out! This is precisely why women need good girlfriends. We get out for Happy Hour a minimum of once a month to recharge our mommy batteries. We always feel better afterward.

It is worth it to save up for a babysitter once in awhile. I got some recommendations from a friend at church on babysitters and one turned out to be great. The switching babysitting with other moms can be good but also awkward if you have a lot more kids than the other mom.

 i dont see any problem getting a baby sitter and going out on occasion! my therapist told me 'you're a woman and a mom not a mom than a woman'

I agree with the other posters.  I go out on Mums nights out occasionally and DH will watch the kids for the evening.  And DH and I make time about once a month to find a babysitter and have alone time...  Maybe go for a meal or go to a pub or the cinema.  Things we can't easily do with the kids around!

I think it's pretty important to have that alone adult time away from the house sometimes....