Story from Jam Press (Solo Mum Holiday)
Pictured: Ivana with her husband, Yaw, and their twin boys, Henry and Mason.
'I ditched my husband and kids to go on a mum holiday ALONE during school holidays'
A mum-of-three ditched her husband and children to travel alone during the school holidays.
Ivana Poku travelled to the Czech Republic where she spent a week catching up with her friends and enjoying evenings out.
The 40-year-old from Fife, Scotland, who has eight-year-old twins and a toddler, did not feel guilty about going alone.
She was also able to use the time to catch up on some sleep and hoped to feel refreshed and recharged afterwards.
Despite it being “difficult” to leave her family behind, Ivana says her seven solo nights in Prague have been “amazing”.
In fact, she believes more parents should consider trips alone.
“It’s been amazing — it’s even better than a spa weekend,” Ivana told What’s The Jam.
“I’ve stayed with my friends for one week and it’s been very good to recharge.
“My friends know how hard I’ve had it throughout the years, so they spoil me rotten and have been pampering me.”
Ivana originally went on the trip to attend a wedding, but decided to extend it to spend some much-needed solo time.
She said: “We all got invited, but it was just too complicated in terms of the flights, pricing and having three children.”
“My husband and I came to the mutual decision that only I will go, and since I have lots of friends over there, I decided to make the most out of it and stay a bit longer.
“I was quite emotional when leaving, but kept reminding myself that it was good for me and for my family and it turns out I was right.”
Ivana said her twin boys, Henry and Mason, and her two-year-old son, Yaw, were “emotional” ahead of her departure and it left her feeling guilty.
But she forced herself to push through her own feelings and spend a week, 1,252 miles away from her kids.
Ivana, who is original