In Defense Of The Parents Who Took Their New Baby On Vacation & Left Toddler Home

It’s a ritual as old as the internet itself. Every few months, a parent says something online that the vast majority of other parents have a problem with. And for a few weeks, the cycle of reaction is set in motion. People make response videos, 10-minute breakdowns of why This Is Bad, Actually.

The latest subject of parental concern: Georgia and Chris Brown, who recently shared a TikTok about how they took a four-day trip to Morocco with their new baby... while leaving their toddler at home.

“Would you leave your child at home to take another away? I wasn’t sure on the idea of it at first, but I’m so glad we did it. It was so amazing to make those 1-on-1 memories with our second,” she wrote in the captions.

TikTok was not here for it. At all.

“One thing I like about me is I’m nothing like you and I never will be,” wrote one (smug) commenter. “What a rubbish thing to do.”

“But the new baby isn’t the one that feels left out 😅 you just dumped your first kid for the new one and he’ll be very aware.”

“This is rotten. You got it wrong mamma. Your poor first baby.”

“This is so strange I’m sorry who does that? What a shame for the oldest being left at home I could NEVER.”

And oh-so-many renditions of “this is bad”/“you’re the worst”/“your older child is going to hate you.”

In an interview with The New York Post, Georgia defended her decision saying, “I’m absolutely not a bad parent. People don’t know me and are just online bullies.”

Look, I don’t know the Browns, their parenting style, or their kids, but based on this alone, coming to the conclusion that they must be horrible parents is frankly unhinged. Here’s why...

Their older child, George, is barely 2

Do you remember anything from when you were 2? You almost certainly don’t, and that’s just science. The very earliest memories can only really start starting around 2 1/2, and that’s just science. So for all the people going on about the fact that the infant (Harry) won’t remember this trip, neither will his older brother. (Also can we pause and coo over how cute “George and Harry” are as brother names. I’m not one for “sibsets” but even I can appreciate a vibe when I see one.)

The trip was four days long

They didn’t go on safari. Or mountaineering in Nepal. Or on one of those cruises around the world. They took a three-hour flight (London to Morocco) for a long weekend. Wee George is in no danger of forgetting their faces over the course of four days, you guys. He’s not going to simply shrivel up and die of loneliness. More than that, he was at his grandmother’s house. Do you know the fun a toddler can have over a holiday weekend at their grandparents house?

Grandma’s house > International travel when you’re 2

Or, failing that, at least as fun. Don’t believe me? Go ahead and take your kid to Paris for four days and I guarantee you their favorite thing is going to be, like, the hairdryer in the hotel bathroom or that pigeon that looked at them in the park.

George was no doubt living his best life with granny, getting one-on-one spoiling time after weeks of sharing attention (for the first time) with the new baby. Speaking of new babies...

Everyone wants to talk about how hard it is to bond with a baby until some parents come up with a novel solution

In the Post article, Georgia explains that the trip was a surprise from her husband, Chris. The reasoning was twofold: one, they did a similar trip with George when he was an infant (they went to Sorrento: not bad) and wanted to repeat the experience with Harry; and two, as Georgia put it, “Dads can struggle to bond at the beginning. He’s the default parent to George because I’m breastfeeding Harry. Chris doesn’t get to spend that much time with Harry because he’s back at work so it gave him that time as well.”

And honestly? This is so incredibly valid. As a mom of two myself, I can honestly say that when it comes to dedicated attention as an infant, first children have tremendous privilege and second children (and I assume beyond) are usually going to get the short end of the stick.

A newborn is basically a needy accessory for the first few months

The Browns said that this trip was their chance to bond with Harry one-on-one — which I think is absolutely true — but I would add that this is a great opportunity for them to be able to have a (much-modified) couples vacation.

In my experience, the first few months of motherhood were very different from the following years. My husband and I took our son everywhere. Restaurants (he’d sleep in his car seat), museums (he’d sleep in my carrier), Central Park (he’d sleep in the stroller), friends’ parties (he’d sleep in their bedroom in a Pack ’n Play next to everyone’s coats). Once he started getting mobile? He no longer conformed to our world: We had to conform to his.

This trip was a chance for Georgia and Chris to do (basically) adult stuff and just sort of bring their baby with them. Besides, it’s likely going to be their last opportunity for a while (at least until Harry is weaned). Anyone parenting as part of a couple will tell you: having a strong bond is absolutely clutch if you’re going to get through the newborn and toddler phase.

And FYI...

The family of four has been on two trips since Harry, George, and Chris went to Morocco. So I think everyone involved is doing just fine.

TL;DR — This is great idea, actually

My only issue with this family’s decision is that I’m very, very jealous.