I Went to Holiday World in So. Indiana for the First Time in 25 Years Without Kids

A couple of weeks ago, my boss Chad sent out a meeting invite with just the words “Holiday World.” I didn’t think much of it—after all, we work with Holiday World a lot and have brainstorming sessions for promotions regularly. What I didn’t realize was that the "meeting" was going to take up the entire day.

Early last week, I asked Chad what I needed to prepare for this “Holiday World” meeting. In full "Chad-fashion" he replied, “Girl, you don’t have to prep anything. We’re going to go have fun!”

I was a bit puzzled. “What? Go have fun?”

“Yes, girl! We’re going to Holiday World for an employee fun day!”

At first, I thought about my youngest daughter. School just started back on Wednesday, so I would be flying solo. It felt a bit strange—I hadn’t been to Holiday World without her or one of her older siblings in years. Actually, I hadn’t been without a kid since I was a kid myself! I’ll admit, my mom heart was a little sad; I love seeing them have fun with her friends. But I’m always up for an adventure, so I decided to embrace it. And I’m so glad I did, because here’s what I discovered:

I Could Ride Whatever I Wanted

Since my daughter isn’t a fan of rollercoasters or big thrill rides, I always miss out. I’ve ridden Tower of Terror by myself at Disney because no one wanted to join me. But last week? I rode Thunderbird, Liberty Launch, the swings, and all the water rides! Oh, and yes, the carousel has to be the first stop - it's tradition.

READ MORE: Indiana Moms Share Their Secrets for a Smooth Transition from Summer to School

I Didn’t Have to Spend a Boatload of Money

My daughter always wants me to buy everything we come across. She loves to slowly browse in stores, asking me to buy this and that. That candy store at the end of Turkey Shoot gets her every time, and she’s always so disappointed when I say no. I’m pretty tight, so I usually only splurge on a dip-n-dots or ice cream at the end of the day. But after tickets, lunch, snacks, and sweets, it all adds up. Last week, I bought myself lunch and was set for the rest of the day. Oh, and I might have stopped and got a DQ cone on my way home but only because I had a free one waiting for me in the app.

I Wasn’t Carrying Everyone’s Stuff

“Mama, can you hold my stuff?” is a common refrain from my daughter. She’s getting old enough to carry things herself, but I still end up being the pack mule. And she has this sneaky way of slipping her trash into my hands when I’m not paying attention. All day, I kept thinking, “It’s so nice to be so fancy free!”

No Meltdowns or Fights

She’s old enough now that meltdowns are a thing of the past, but I remember those days vividly. I remember sitting in Splashin’ Safari while she napped, and spending hours in the baby pools, splash park, and on baby rides—only to end up with a big over-stimulation meltdown. I also remember the teenage fights with older kids who wanted independence that they weren't ready for. None of that this time!

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I Didn’t Have to Deal with Conflicting Opinions

When we go to Holiday World with a big group, everyone wants to do something different. Chad and I split off and rode all the water rides while the others relaxed in the lazy river. It was perfect.

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I Didn’t Have to Ride the Tin Lizzie Cars

My daughter loves those slow-moving cars, but I loathe them. I’m stuck pushing that confounded pedal the entire time, and the line seems to take forever. This time, I admired them from afar.

I Didn't Have to Fight Anyone to Wear Sunscreen

If my co-workers didn’t want to wear it, that wasn’t my problem. I didn’t have to wrestle with a kid who acted like a flaming wild cat in a bathtub while trying to slather on sunscreen.

I Could Leave When I Wanted

In the mid-afternoon, I decided I’d had enough of Holiday World and headed home. No one was begging me to stay, and I wasn’t pleading with anyone to leave. It was glorious.

I Got to Be the Kid

One of the biggest challenges of being a parent is the constant need to be responsible. It often feels like there's little room for just having fun. But on Thursday, I got to flip the script and be the kid again. I rode rides, indulged in delicious food, splashed around in the water, and screamed my head off without a single worry about anyone else. It felt fantastic to embrace my inner child.

I still love going to Holiday World with the kids, but experiencing it from a different perspective was refreshing. And if I hadn’t been technically on the clock, I probably would have enjoyed a new adult beverage! Parents, it’s important to take a break from the parenting grind now and then, and just let yourself have fun. I truly believe it makes you a better parent.