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I couldn’t afford to take the kids to Disneyland during school holidays, so I went without them.

Posted on by L. Dreeye
I couldn’t afford to take the kids to Disneyland during school holidays, so I went without them.

A mother went to Disneyland without her children because she couldn’t afford to take them with her on school holidays.

Sarah Reed, 44, had always wanted to go to a theme park in California and decided to go there while her children were studying.

Sarah, mother of Damian, 20, and Lauren, 12, was able to secure a grant through the Danny Deed epilepsy charity, which was due to be awarded in November 2024, but it only covered costs for her and her husband Mark, 49 .

The couple spent a week in California, visiting Disneyland and attending an epilepsy conference.

Mother-of-two Sarah, a writer and fundraiser from Bristol, said ahead of the trip: “This will be the first time my husband and I have traveled without the kids – it’s a bittersweet feeling.

“I always wanted to go. I’m sad my kids can’t join me, but they’re only paying for me and my partner to go.”

“You can’t take your kids out of school without facing the financial consequences of missing out on education.

“The grant from the charity can only cover part of our trip, and the costs of traveling outside the school holidays are incredibly high.

I couldn’t afford to take the kids to Disneyland during school holidays, so I went without them.

Sarah Reed (pictured) had always wanted to go to a park in California and decided to go there while her children were studying.

Photo: Sarah Reed and husband Mark at Disneyland, California. Mother-of-two Sarah said before the trip:

Photo: Sarah Reed and husband Mark at Disneyland, California. Mother-of-two Sarah said before the trip: “This will be the first time my husband and I have traveled without our kids – it’s a bittersweet feeling.”

The couple spent a week in California, visiting Disneyland and attending an epilepsy conference. Here Sarah is pictured at an epilepsy charity event in California.

The couple spent a week in California, visiting Disneyland and attending an epilepsy conference. Here Sarah is pictured at an epilepsy charity event in California.

Sarah is mother to 20-year-old Damian (pictured) and 12-year-old Lauren. She managed to get a grant through the Danny Deed Foundation, an epilepsy charity, which allowed them to go to Disneyland, but it only covered expenses for her and her husband.

Sarah is mother to 20-year-old Damian (pictured) and 12-year-old Lauren. She managed to get a grant through the Danny Deed Foundation, an epilepsy charity, which allowed them to go to Disneyland, but it only covered expenses for her and her husband.

“If I had taken the children with me, I would have been fined £100 a day.

“I’ve always wanted to visit Disneyland, especially since the charity I work with is based there, but the costs are huge.”

Sarah suffers from a number of conditions including epilepsy, OCD, borderline disorder and personality disorder.

Sarah’s health problems began in early childhood – when she was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of seven.

Since then she has been on strong medications.

She said: “I take around 20 tablets a day to cope with epilepsy and have had to learn to manage my triggers such as stress, lack of sleep or illness.

“My epilepsy used to be much worse. Before brain surgery in 2016, I had five seizures a day.

“The surgery did reduce them, but I still need to monitor my health every day.”

While she battles her health, Sarah remains focused on her advocacy work and has raised £18,000 for various charities, including those related to epilepsy.

She desperately wanted to go to Disneyland to attend a conference for an epilepsy benefit.

The mother flew to California on November 14, 2024, leaving the children with their parents.

Sarah said: “My parents look after my daughter while I travel.

“My eldest, Damian, 20, is at Cheltenham University, and my youngest, Lauren, 12, will be looked after by my kind parents all week. ‘

Sarah suffers from a number of conditions including epilepsy, OCD, borderline disorder and personality disorder. Sarah's health problems began in early childhood - when she was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of seven. Here she is pictured with Damian

Sarah suffers from a number of conditions including epilepsy, OCD, borderline disorder and personality disorder. Sarah’s health problems began in early childhood – when she was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of seven. Here she is pictured with Damian

Sarah is dedicated to raising awareness of epilepsy and supporting families facing the same problem. As she flew to America, Sarah was supported by trained airport staff who took her to her departure gate. Here Sarah is shown in California.

Sarah is dedicated to raising awareness of epilepsy and supporting families facing the same problem. As she flew to America, Sarah was supported by trained airport staff who took her to her departure gate. Here Sarah is shown in California.

Coming off vacation also helps Sarah combat her anxiety.

She said: “I get anxious and in crowded places my anxiety can go through the roof.

“Traveling during semester helps a little because it’s usually less busy, but there’s still a lot to get done.”

Sarah is dedicated to raising awareness of epilepsy and supporting families facing the same problem.

She said: “I never want anyone to feel alone in their journey – that’s what keeps me going, knowing that I can make a difference, even if it’s just for one person.”

As she flew to America, Sarah was supported by trained airport staff who took her to her departure gate.

She said: “It’s nice to know I have such support, especially when traveling with a condition like epilepsy.”

Sarah was determined to make the trip a success and have fun, even while her children were stuck at school and university.

Sarah said: “My journey is not easy, but I know it is important. I hope that by sharing my experience, I can help others who are going through similar difficulties.”