Hardly ever use them for a real vacation. I don't have any illusions that it will be easier on my own, or that I'll necessarily work fewer hours, but I will have control over WHEN I work and what type of work I do. I used to have dreams of being a CEO of a big corporation. I dreamed of the big office and sitting at the head of the table at meetings and directing really interesting projects. No, thank you.
Life is just too short.
Ours Life is all about choices. I don't know why people think a house in the suburbs, 2.5 kids and a Lexus SUV are a birthright, because they're not. If you value family and children, well, you're very foolish to choose a career with significant time and travel demands. If you value career and financial security, you're very foolish to have a family you rarely see because you're working. Plenty of people downsize their lives to accommodate family priorities, and plenty of people who love their careers choose to have no children.