Today I fed my children stale donuts for breakfast, hissed threats into my four-year-old’s ear while clenching his arm (probably harder than I needed to), and told him the sign for Rainforest Café was because they served gorilla.
Yes, we’re on “vacation” and it’s been, well…okay. I have these fond memories of my childhood family trips and whenever I book travel, I have this belief that I’m creating the same thing for my children. Last night I couldn’t get the kids to go to sleep and I was spent when they finally did, only to be woken up by an uncomfortable bed, snoring, the party crowd coming in at 2AM, a baby who needed a bottle- three times, and then the kids got up at 6AM. So, that lead to my feeding them donuts bought the day before out of desperation, lots of whining topped off by my four-year-old screaming he wanted to jump from the tour boat because he was thirsty, and us wandering the dirty city streets looking for a particular restaurant when that Rainforest Café snuck up and almost ruined our plans. And those weren’t even the low points.
In talking with my mother it turns out she remembers our family trips quite differently than I do. Where I remember Cinderella’s Castle at Disneyland, she remembers my brother getting lost. At the Grand Canyon I recall the view, she just thinks of my brother running into a tree. I knew about those things, but I guess from a kid’s perspective they just seemed secondary to everything else that happened on the trip.
All I know is our next trip will be without the kids, but then guess what will happen, I’ll spend the whole time thinking, “I wish the kids were here so they could see this.”
So, you moms out there, what are some of your family vacation horror stories? What visions of vacation perfection did you have in your mind that went awry?
Like a waterfall in slow motion, Part One
2 years ago
3 comments:
Our kids are 4 and 1, and they are awesome travelers so far. We haven't had any terrible vacations yet.
I have four children, ages 6, 4, 2 1/2, and 6 months. Traveling for us has been more of necessity than for pleasure because let's be frank, traveling with children isn't a great pleasure. After the "she touched me!!!!" "he won't let me touch him!!!!" and "are we there yet's" I'm just thankful to arrive at our destination with my mind intact. This summer we are venturing out and this time, I'm having a DVD player put into the van before we leave. I'm really hoping that will make things better.
The hardest trip I ever endured though was when I only had my first. He was about nine months old and we were heading out to his father's Basic Training Graduation. We had to drive from Utah to Illinois (to stop off at my folks and say hi), then on to South Carolina. I was traveling alone with a baby who was still nursing (he refused to do much else), but his idea of nursing was to do so for two seconds and then want to look at the world around him, and so he was constantly crying to get out of his carseat because he was hungry (I have to admit, that finally I had to nurse and drive, just to keep from going crazy). Also, we had absolutely no money then and so that meant no hotel stops for me; I had to sleep in the back seat with all my luggage and my baby at rest areas along the way. Seriously, I don't know how I did this trip and make it back alive. We did make it and back again, and then out to California to live. All this by myself with a baby. That is something I will never forget, and will never repeat!! I have to say, after that, no matter how dreadful days on "vacation" may seem, nothing compares and so I remember that and it helps to lift my spirits, if for only a moment.
I haven't reached that point yet, my girl is only 5 months and the farthest we've been is to visit my parents 2 hours away.She just sleeps the entire ride there. But thanks for the reality check. I'm now terrified of future family vacations. :)
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